Battery virtual power plant that paid homeowners $5.4 million now expanding to EV batteries

Massachusetts is expanding a program that pays homeowners for letting the grid tap into their batteries during high-demand periods, and now electric vehicles are joining the mix. The program, called ConnectedSolutions, already enrolls home batteries, thermostats, and water heaters across Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. It paid out more than $5.4 million to 5,251 residential battery owners during the 2025 season, with home batteries delivering close to 29 megawatts of grid relief on hot summer days.

The new piece is vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, which lets an EV's battery send power back to the grid, not just draw from it. Owners who sign up would get paid similarly to battery owners now, potentially in the range of $1,375 to $2,750 based on current rates for battery contributions. Vehicles expected to qualify at the start include the Ford F-150 Lightning, Nissan Leaf, Kia EV9, Polestar 3, and Volvo EX90. Companies including The Mobility House, EnergyHub, and Sunrun are involved in running the pilot.

The state has more than 150,000 EVs on the road, representing a lot of untapped battery capacity compared to the storage already installed. If you own one of the eligible EVs and live in the ConnectedSolutions service area, this could eventually mean a way to earn money from your car's battery the same way some neighbors already do with home battery systems. Full enrollment details, including how residential drivers can sign up, have not been released yet.