Vermont replacing power plants with home batteries

The state of Vermont is transitioning to a decentralized power grid by replacing traditional power plants with home batteries, allowing residents to store excess energy generated by their solar panels and provide backup power during outages. The system is managed by the utility company Green Mountain Power, which has partnered with the company Sonnen to install the batteries. These batteries can store up to 5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy, and can provide backup power for 8-10 hours. The project has already seen significant results, with residents receiving over $1,000 in credits on their energy bills and a 20% reduction in their energy costs. The state aims to expand the program to 10,000 homes by 2025, which will reduce the demand on the traditional grid and help mitigate the impact of power outages during storms.