Washington, D.C. and Connecticut plan free low-income home energy storage installations

According to foreign media reports, Electriq Power and Generac/PosiGen have launched plans to provide free home energy storage solutions to low-income households and businesses in Washington, D.C. and Connecticut, respectively system.

As part of a U.S. federal and state support program, eligible low-income home users and small businesses in Washington, D.C., will receive free residential solar power systems and battery storage systems.

PowerPod home energy storage system developed by Electriq Power

California-based battery storage system provider Electriq Power will install the units in homes and small businesses with 20 years of maintenance. The low-to-middle income (LMI) will be the main condition for users to qualify for free.

Called SEDC Solar, the program will reduce electricity costs, provide backup power to some of the most economically distressed areas in Washington, D.C., and fund it through local and federal tax incentives.

The SEDC Solar program is technically a program of "opportunity zone funds," which are established in economically disadvantaged communities whose investments may be eligible for preferential tax treatment. It provides and installs solar power and energy storage systems for homes and businesses at no cost, and is funded by the Opportunity Zone Fund. Opportunity zone funds are a way for investors to earn tax-free returns on their investments.

Michele Tihami, Chief Revenue Officer, Electriq Power, commented: "We are delighted to have found a partner in the SED CSolar program, and we believe that energy storage and renewable power generation can be enjoyed by all, regardless of economic conditions. the benefits of."

According to industry media reports, Electriq Power launched a similar program in March in a small farming community in rural California.

Connecticut to increase energy storage deployment

Electriq Power's announcement comes as energy tech firm Generac has launched a program that will first increase Connecticut residents' access to energy storage before rolling it out to the rest of the country.

Generac Grid Services, a subsidiary of Generac, has partnered with PosiGen, a provider of residential energy efficiency solutions, to provide the Generac home battery storage system to PosiGen's existing solar power system customers. The 18kWh battery energy storage system it provides will be deployed in conjunction with solar power generation facilities to supply power to the grid and provide backup power for home users in the event of power outages.

Generac will partner with Connecticut's Energy Storage Solutions project, launched by the state's two major investor-owned utilities, Eversource and United Lighting (UI), to incentivize deployment by 2030 580MW of home storage (part of the state's overall goal of deploying 1GW of storage).

The two companies did not mention costs in the press release, but may suggest that customers will bear some of the costs, but PosiGen primarily provides solutions for low- and moderate-income households on the U.S. East Coast, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The two companies hope to replicate the program nationwide because it's a favorable incentive structure and helps low- and middle-income customers get electricity.

Generac, a major manufacturer and marketer of backup generator sets for homes and businesses, has been focusing on the home battery energy storage market in recent years.