A Vermont utility has introduced a streamlined home battery program to accelerate residential electrification. Green Mountain Power (GMP) has expanded its battery lease and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) options, establishing standardized safety protocols and bundled incentives to increase customer participation and boost grid resilience. The initiative is designed to provide backup power during outages, reduce peak demand, and expand access across different income levels.
Background
Vermont's residential battery storage deployment more than doubled since 2019. By the end of 2023, the state had 54 MW of installed storage capacity, with nearly half in small-scale residential systems-representing about 6% of Vermont's summer peak load. The state's electricity demand is projected to rise over 1,000 GWh (21%), from just under 5,500 GWh in 2023 to over 6,500 GWh by 2033. This scenario makes flexible load management and storage vital for grid reliability. GMP and Vermont Electric Co-op (VEC) have led battery program launches to support electrification of heating, transportation, and intermittent renewables. According to the Vermont Department of Public Service, these programs help shift electricity use away from peak periods, improve resilience, lower costs, and cut emissions.
Details
GMP's lease program provides two Tesla Powerwall 3 units (27 kWh) or two Enphase IQ Battery 10C units (20 kWh), for $55 per month or a $5,500 upfront payment over ten years. The utility also manages system maintenance. In the BYOD program, customers may receive $850 per kW for three-hour batteries or $950 per kW for four-hour batteries, with an additional $100 per kW bonus for retrofitting existing solar systems, up to $10,500. Enrollment continues through September 30, 2026. Batteries enrolled in GMP's virtual power plant (VPP) aggregate to provide 50 MW of grid capacity during peak demand events, while prioritizing backup for homes. More than 1,200 households are on the waitlist, reflecting robust demand.
VEC operates a complementary flexible load program, securing nearly $1.4 million for the Energy Storage Access Program (ESAP) focused on low- and moderate-income members. ESAP aims to enroll about 55 households for resilience-oriented battery access.
On the regulatory side, House Bill H0278 requires utilities and Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO) to submit a strategic energy storage report by December 31, 2026. The report will identify optimal sites for storage and flexible load projects to boost reliability, affordability, community resilience, and sustainability.
Outlook
The success of program expansion-including waitlist processing and development of the H0278 strategic report-will shape the pace of future deployments. As participation grows, a combination of utility leases, BYOD incentives, and income-qualified offerings may enhance grid stability and equity, advancing Vermont's electrification efforts.
