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Air conditioning battery program for renters could help cities manage grid stress during heat waves
The renter-friendly program uses plug-in batteries to run window air conditioners during peak hours and could cut grid strain without new power plants.
- Con Edison is expanding a plug-in battery pilot program to more than 1,000 homes in New York City this summer, allowing residents to power air conditioning units offline during peak demand periods.
- Andrew Wang, chief executive officer of Every Electric, described the device as a "souped up version of the power bank" that charges during off-peak hours to power AC units when demand spikes.
- For renters like Bianca Pasternack, who cannot install rooftop solar panels, the program offers accessible grid relief without requiring permanent infrastructure changes or special permissions.
- The pilot is growing from roughly 200 kilowatts of flexible capacity last year to 2 megawatts this summer, with participants earning cash rebates including a $100 gift card one resident received.
- These systems represent a broader shift toward "virtual power plants," according to Kevin Brehm, a manager at RMI, who noted such programs coordinate small energy devices to reduce grid strain and emissions.
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11 Articles
11 Articles
Associated Press News+10 Reposted by 10 other sources
Air conditioning battery program for renters could help cities manage grid stress during heat waves
A renter-friendly pilot program in New York City is aiming to reduce strain on the power grid while helping customers with power bills.
·United States
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Total News Sources11
Leaning Left7Leaning Right1Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution64% Left
Bias Distribution
- 64% of the sources lean Left
64% Left
L 64%
C 27%
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