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NYC Homes Beat Heat with Battery Power
2 Oct
Summary
- New York City households are powering air conditioners with batteries during peak demand.
- Every Electric offers free loaner batteries to renters and homeowners.
- The program allows residents to stay comfortable and earn money from energy savings.
New York City residents are using household batteries to power air conditioners during extreme heat events. Every Electric, a local startup, offers a program where households can borrow batteries, plug them into standard outlets, and connect their window air conditioners. This allows them to keep their homes cool during peak demand periods.
The company, founded by researchers from Columbia University, pivoted to deploying residential batteries to create a virtual power plant. Households receive batteries, connect them to Wi-Fi, and automatically charge them during off-peak hours. These batteries then discharge energy when air conditioners run during peak demand.
Customers can earn approximately $150 annually per air conditioner through Con Edison's Smart Usage Rewards program. While the batteries offer backup power and can even attract cats with their warmth, some participants experienced tripped circuit breakers during voltage reductions. Every Electric is actively updating firmware to address these issues.
The program has scaled from an initial deployment of 100 batteries in 2025 to 2,000 batteries across 1,000 households by the summer of 2026. With a waitlist for over 15,000 batteries, Every Electric aims for significant expansion, potentially moving beyond New York City to other markets.
