Tesla Virtual Power Plant with ConnectedSolutions Program
For eligible Powerwall owners, ConnectedSolutions is a program that links batteries across the state to create a large supply of sustainable energy — a virtual power plant — to be used during peak demand. The program applies to National Grid, Rhode Island Energy, Eversource and Cape Light Compact customers in Massachusetts, Connecticut or Rhode Island.
Earn hundreds of dollars each year by participating, and know you’re contributing to a cleaner, more resilient grid — all with the same self-powered and emergency backup features of Powerwall.
Learn more about program eligibility, compensation and more.
Overview of the Program
By becoming a part of the Tesla Virtual Power Plant (VPP) with ConnectedSolutions, your Powerwall will be called upon to export energy to the grid during summer afternoons when the grid is stressed. The program will dispatch your Powerwall up to 60 times between June 1st and September 30th. Participants are compensated on a pay-for-performance basis for the average kW you curtail during peak events over the course of a season.
Eligibility
Powerwall owners with or without solar are eligible to participate in ConnectedSolutions if they:
- Receive electric services from:
- National Grid's Massachusetts territories
- Rhode Island Energy's Rhode Island territories
- Eversource's Massachusetts and Connecticut territories
- Cape Light Compact's Massachusetts territory
- Have a residential service account
You will have the opportunity to sign up in the Tesla app and your local utility will review your information to determine eligibility. If you are determined to be eligible, you will be enrolled automatically.
Event Experience
Once you are enrolled in the program, Tesla and your local utility will call upon the virtual power plant when the grid is at stress to reduce peak load during the demand response season from June to September. The program will dispatch no more than 60 times with a maximum of 3 hours per event.
What to Expect
You do not have to do anything in response to events. Your Powerwall will respond automatically to support the grid and earn you money. Your system will respond to event signals, but performance will depend on your system and other factors. Tesla cannot guarantee any level of performance or dollar value.
Before the Event
When an event is scheduled, you can expect your Powerwall system to prioritize charging and preparing for an event after the event is scheduled. An event may be scheduled a day ahead, but circumstances may require much less notice.
During the Event
When the event begins, your Powerwall will try to charge to full to prepare for the event and discharge during the event hours to support the grid. Your Powerwall will discharge either until the event ends, or until it reaches 20% Backup Reserve level.
After the Event
At completion of the event, Powerwall will resume normal operation.
Controlling Your Participation
Powerwall gives you three options for controlling your participation in VPP events.
Set up Event Priority
In the Storm Watch setting, your Powerwall gives you the option to set up the event priority. If you prioritize Grid Events, your Powerwall will start discharging during a demand response event, even if Storm Watch is active.
Opt-out of a Single Event
When an event is scheduled or active, your Powerwall gives you the option to opt-out of the event through the Tesla app. When you opt-out, your Powerwall will stop reacting to the event and resume normal operation.
Suspend Participation
You have a VPP participation toggle in the ‘Settings’ menu of the Tesla app. If you turn this off, your Powerwall system will not react to events when they are scheduled, and you will not be notified of the events. You are still enrolled in the program, however, and can resume your participation at any time by toggling your participation back on.
Compensation
For the additional kWh that your Powerwall delivers, you will receive a payment for the incentive through the ConnectedSolutions program.
Payment
At the end of the season, which is October 31, Tesla will calculate your total payment, in the form of credits, based on your Powerwall’s overall contribution. You can then request a digital payout of your earned credits in the Tesla app. Once you have requested a payout, you can anticipate the deposit within five to seven days.
Utility VPP Program Participation Agreement
Your Utility has developed a virtual power plant (“VPP”) program (the “Program”) to help reduce stress on the electrical grid, supported by Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla”). Your Utility has also contracted with a partner EnergyHub, Inc. (“Partner”) to help administer the Program. Tesla will be Your point of contact in relation to the Program and will interface with Your Utility and Partner, unless otherwise required.
This Program is open to customers with one or more eligible Tesla Powerwall(s) (“Device”) that Tesla will control during demand response events (each, an “Event”). Your participation is subject to your agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions with Tesla (Terms). By clicking “Accept Enrollment” you (“You” or “Participant”) acknowledge that you have read these Terms and agree to be legally bound by them.
-
Eligibility and Enrollment
Upon completing the necessary information and agreeing to the Terms, Tesla will submit Your application to Your Utility and Partner. Your Utility and Partner in their sole discretion shall accept or reject Participant’s application for participation in the Program. Eligibility criteria includes, at a minimum, that you:
a. Have reliable internet access
b. Are at least 18 years of age
c. Are current with all charges due to Your Utility
d. Have authority to control the Device as set out in Section 2 - Authority
You should not participate in the Program unless You have the authority to control the Device and are the customer of record for the utility account associated with the address at which the Device is installed (“Customer of Record”). By accepting these Terms, You confirm that You have the authority to control the Device and are the Customer of Record, and that Tesla and Your Utility can rely on those confirmations in connection with the Program.
- Grant Of Control Over Your Device
By accepting these Terms, You grant Tesla remote access to control the enrolled Device to automatically charge and/or discharge the Device, at Your Utility’s direction, during an Event. Other than Your own operation of the Device, Your Utility and Tesla will have exclusive access to the Device. You will have the ability to set a minimum level of charge as a backup reserve (“Backup Reserve”). However, in the time before and during Events, the “Backup Reserve” will be overridden to allow the Powerwall to charge and discharge in order to maximize the performance of providing services to the Grid. As soon as the Event completes, the Powerwall will return to its normal operating mode. You will have the ability to opt out of an individual events or suspend participation in Events. Tesla may charge or discharge Your Device at any time and to any level. You will also have the ability to opt out of an individual events or suspend participation in Events. Except for honoring Your Backup Reserve and Event participation opt-outs, Tesla may charge or discharge Your Device at any time and to any level. - Term
This Agreement will commence upon the date that You accept these terms and conditions and will continue for 5 years (the “Term”). Thereafter, the Term shall automatically be extended for additional renewal terms of one (1) year each, each anniversary thereof, until either You or Tesla terminates this Agreement as allowed under these Terms.
- Utility Event
Events will be called by Your Utility subject to the “Program Rules” that you will be required to review and accept in accordance with this Agreement and a copy of which may be found on National Grid's website. Tesla will control the Device to respond during Events and will make reasonable efforts to maximize performance within Your Backup Reserve, Event preferences, and other settings but no specific level of performance is guaranteed.
- Compensation
The Program provides compensation based on the average power that Your Utility and/or Tesla discharges from Your Device in response to Events (“Compensation”). The calculation of the Compensation is defined by Your Utility in the Program Rules. You agree to assign the Compensation to Tesla, and in turn, Tesla will directly pay You 80% of the Compensation earned by Your participation in the Program through Your Device (or Tesla may choose to pay You more than this percentage, in Tesla’s sole election) on an annual basis or more frequently as determined by Tesla. Tesla will retain the balance of the Compensation as Tesla’s fee for services provided by Tesla in administering the Program. The Compensation payments referenced herein, if any, are the only compensation that You will receive from Tesla and Your Utility for participating in the Program. You are responsible for all other costs of participating in the Program, including, but not limited to, Your cost of electricity to charge Your Device as well as for the general use of Your Device.
- Your Device Data and Other Information
Participation in the Program means that Your Utility, Partner and Tesla will have access to certain types of Your personal identifiable information and energy use data, including, but not limited to, Your name, address, energy usage, utility account number, Device information, data generated from the Program and other personal information, collectively referred to as Confidential Information. You authorize Your Utility, Partner and Tesla, and their respective employees and representatives, to use and exchange the Confidential Information to administer the Program and in accordance with Tesla’s Customer Privacy Policy, Partner’s Privacy Policy and Your Utility’s Customer Privacy Policy, as applicable. (Even though those policies are separate documents from these Terms, they are considered part of these Terms). As and between You and Tesla, if there are any conflicts between these policies, Tesla’s Customer Privacy Policy shall apply and take precedence. You further authorize Tesla and Your Utility to provide Your Confidential Information to the Massachusetts Division of Public Utilities upon their valid, legal request or as otherwise required by law. You also authorize Tesla or Your Utility to use or share Confidential Information that is anonymized without further need for Your consent provided that it does not contain any of Your personal identifiable information.
- No Warranty; Disclaimer
Tesla expressly disclaims all warranties of any kind relating to this Program, whether express, implied or statutory including but not limited to any implied warranties for conditions, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, non-infringement or misappropriation of intellectual property rights.
- Limitation of Liability
In no event will Tesla be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages arising in connection with the Program, including but not limited to, Your Device’s reduced charge during a power outage causing a loss of power or any other loss of power. If You are dissatisfied with the Program, any of these Terms, or believe Tesla has breached these Terms, Your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue participation in the Program.
- Termination
Termination By Tesla: Tesla has sole discretion to terminate Your participation in the Program, at any time without cause by providing You with written notice.
Termination by You: You may terminate Your enrollment in the Program at any time for any reason by contacting Tesla Customer Support. -
General
i. Entire Agreement. Except as otherwise stated herein, these terms and the Program Rules constitute the entire Agreement between You and Tesla concerning the Program.ii. No Assignment. You may not assign this Agreement without Tesla’s prior written consent.
iii. Severability and Waiver. If any provision herein is invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.
iv. Survival. Termination of the Program will not affect the obligations and rights under this Agreement, which is intended to survive such termination.
vi. Governing Law. This Agreement is governed by Massachusetts law.
vii. Amendments. This Agreement may be amended by Tesla from time to time upon 5 days’ notice to Participant, which will be sent to Participant, with reference on the pilot support page which can be accessed through the Tesla app. - Tesla Arbitration Requirement
Agreement to Arbitrate
Read this part carefully because it means you are agreeing that any unresolved dispute between you and Tesla will not be decided by a judge or jury in a public courtroom, but instead by a single arbitrator in a private arbitration.
If you have a dispute arising out of or relating to any aspect of this Agreement and the relationship between you and Tesla, Inc. or its affiliates (which we call “Tesla”), send us an email to resolutions@tesla.com, describing your dispute and how you would like it resolved. If it is not resolved within 60 days from the date of your email, you agree that your dispute can only be resolved by a single arbitrator in an arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules. This includes claims arising before you ordered your System (such as claims related to statements Tesla made about our products). We will pay all AAA fees for any arbitration, which will be held in the city or county of your legal residence. To learn more about the Rules and how to begin an arbitration, you can call any AAA office or go to www.adr.org. The arbitrator can only resolve disputes between you and Tesla, and cannot consolidate claims from others without consent from you, Tesla, and the others. You can only bring claims in arbitration against Tesla in your individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any class or representative action (and the same is true for Tesla). If a court or arbitrator decides that any part of this agreement to arbitrate cannot be enforced as to a specific claim for relief or remedy (such as what lawyers call “injunctive” or “declaratory” relief), then that claim or remedy (and only that claim or remedy) will be carved out of the arbitration and can be filed in court; all other claims must be arbitrated. If you prefer, you can take your individual dispute to a small claims court instead. If you don’t want to agree to arbitration, you can "opt out” of arbitration by sending us a letter within 30 days after placing your initial order for your System. Send the letter to Tesla, Inc.; P.O. Box 15430; Fremont, CA 94539-7970 and include your name, your order number, the name of the product you ordered, and a statement explaining your desire to opt out of arbitration. If you do not opt out, your agreement to arbitrate overrides any different arbitration agreement between us, including any arbitration agreement in a lease or finance contract.