The ConnectedSolutions Battery Program. How Eversource turns home storage into a grid asset

The ConnectedSolutions Battery Program from Eversource hums to life on a humid New England evening, when a wall-mounted home battery in a quiet basement clicks and the cooling fan starts to spin. On a phone screen upstairs, a small banner shows that the battery just joined a so-called demand response event. For many of the roughly participating customers, this is the moment when their storage system stops being a quiet backup box and becomes a paid grid resource.

How ConnectedSolutions actually works

ConnectedSolutions is Eversource’s demand response program that connects residential and commercial batteries to its electric grid and calls on them during peak demand events in summer and winter. Customers enroll eligible storage systems through partner installers or directly via participating battery manufacturers, then receive incentive payments based on how much power they export or reduce during those events.

The program focuses on predictable high-load periods, for example late afternoon and early evening on hot days, when air conditioners drive demand spikes and wholesale power prices rise. According to Eversource, enrolled batteries are typically dispatched up to several dozen times per season, with each event lasting a few hours and announced in advance by notification, email, or app.

Incentive levels and customer earnings

Program manager Michael Goldman, who has frequently represented Eversource’s demand response strategy in regulatory filings, explains in filings that ConnectedSolutions aims to pay customers for actual delivered performance during peak events. In practice, that means incentive rates differ by state and customer class, but always tie back to the measured average kilowatts the battery contributes when called.

In Massachusetts, for example, residential customers in ConnectedSolutions have in recent seasons been able to earn on the order of several hundred dollars per year if their batteries consistently discharge during each called event, while larger commercial systems can reach four-figure annual payments. In Rhode Island and Connecticut, program structures are similar, with published incentive tables that specify how many dollars per kilowatt per season are paid for summer and winter participation.

Technical requirements and supported hardware

On the technical side, the ConnectedSolutions Battery Program requires that the storage system can be remotely controlled or scheduled by Eversource or its designated aggregators, usually through a cloud interface. Most participating systems are lithium-ion battery units paired with solar PV, often installed by partners such as Sunrun or other regional solar companies that integrate the necessary controls.

Eversource maintains a list of qualified devices and vendors for ConnectedSolutions, which includes residential batteries from several major manufacturers and larger commercial-scale systems. The utility emphasizes that the battery remains under the customer’s ownership and continues to serve as backup power or self-consumption storage outside of the peak events, but during contracted hours the program dispatch logic takes priority to ensure reliable grid support.

Why a regulated utility pays for behind-the-meter storage

From Eversource’s perspective, paying customers to let their batteries discharge during peak demand can be cheaper than firing up older peaker plants or buying expensive spot-market electricity. Internal analyses filed with state regulators show that peak reduction from ConnectedSolutions helps defer or avoid some capacity investments and can lower overall system costs.

The arrangement also aligns with policy goals in states like Massachusetts, where regulators have encouraged utilities to use demand response and distributed energy resources rather than building more traditional infrastructure whenever that is cost-effective. Eversource regularly reports megawatt contributions and customer enrollment numbers from ConnectedSolutions in its filings to show how the program contributes to peak load management and emissions reduction targets.

Customer control and opt-out options

For individual households, one concern is control over their own battery. Eversource explains in its customer materials that participants can opt out of individual events, usually via app or web portal, though doing so frequently may reduce incentive payments. Customers are also informed ahead of time about the typical event windows so they can plan around them if needed.

In practice, the battery charge management algorithm tries to keep enough energy available in time for scheduled events, while still allowing solar owners to use stored energy for self-consumption during other hours. On many days the only noticeable sign of participation is a brief change in battery charge level and a quiet fan noise when the unit ramps up during an event.

Regulatory framework and reporting

Because Eversource is a regulated utility, its ConnectedSolutions Battery Program operates within detailed regulatory frameworks in each state. Program designs, incentive levels, and cost recovery mechanisms are reviewed and approved by public utility commissions, and Eversource must demonstrate that the benefits in terms of peak reduction and avoided capacity justify the program costs.

The company therefore tracks delivered megawatts and customer performance carefully and files annual or periodic reports with regulators summarizing how many events were called, what average load reduction was achieved, and how many customers participated in the battery segment versus other demand response offerings. Those reports can influence whether the program is extended, expanded, or modified.

Where the money comes from

Funding for ConnectedSolutions incentives ultimately flows from regulated tariffs rather than from speculative market bets. Eversource allocates program costs across its rate base under approved mechanisms, while also capturing capacity market revenues and other system benefits that help offset those costs. The balance between payments to customers and savings for the system is a central focus in regulatory discussions.

For enrolled customers, the key takeaway is that the monthly bill impact of paying all participants is spread across the broader customer base, while the direct incentive payments are concentrated on those who install and enroll battery systems. That creates a clear financial signal for early adopters of storage, which is exactly what state policymakers have been aiming for.

Commercial and industrial angles

ConnectedSolutions is not limited to single-family homes. Eversource also targets commercial and industrial customers with larger batteries that can provide several hundred kilowatts or more during events. These installations are often custom engineered and can be paired with on-site generation or used in combination with load curtailment strategies.

For those customers, program participation can dovetail with broader energy management strategies such as demand charge reduction, backup power resilience, and sustainability targets. The battery dispatch schedule is then coordinated between the customer’s facility managers, the integrator, and Eversource so that peak shaving for the business and peak support for the grid align as much as possible.

Risks and practical limitations

There are clear limits. If Eversource calls more events than expected, or if they are longer, customers may worry about battery wear or reduced availability for backup during storms. The utility addresses this by capping event durations and seasons in its program rules and by working with manufacturers who factor cycle life impacts into warranty conditions.

Another practical constraint is communications reliability. Since ConnectedSolutions relies on remote dispatch signals, an internet outage at the customer site can prevent the battery from responding, which in turn affects measured performance and incentive payments. Customers are therefore urged to keep their gateway hardware and routers in stable, dry locations and to monitor connectivity status.

Digital interfaces and the user experience

On the front end, much of the customer experience is digital. Enrollment flows typically start on installer portals or manufacturer apps, where the owner consents to allow Eversource to use the battery for demand response. Confirmation emails explain key program rules, estimated earning potential, and how to opt out of events.

During the season, mobile notifications or emails announce upcoming events a day or a few hours in advance. When the event starts, some apps show live power flows: a colored bar jumps as the battery output ramps up, while household demand drops on the grid import line. After the season, customers receive a statement that shows how much average power they delivered and how that translated into payments.

Strategic role within Eversource

For Eversource, ConnectedSolutions sits alongside traditional efficiency programs and other demand response offerings, such as smart thermostat control or direct load control of air conditioners. Together, these programs form a portfolio of so-called non-wires alternatives that can stand in for some conventional grid projects.

As CEO Joe Nolan has emphasized in public appearances, the company’s long-term strategy leans on integrating more distributed energy resources while maintaining reliability during extreme weather. The ConnectedSolutions Battery Program supplies a flexible asset class that can respond quickly to grid stress without the lead times and emissions associated with new fossil-fuel capacity.

Stock context and relevance

For investors, the ConnectedSolutions Battery Program is not a separate reporting segment but folds into broader regulated operations and clean energy initiatives that show up in Eversource’s capital plans and rate cases. The program illustrates how the company tries to align regulatory incentives, customer technology trends, and grid reliability in a way that can support long-term earnings stability.

On the New York Stock Exchange, Eversource Energy stock (ISIN US30040W1080) offers exposure to this type of regulated grid innovation, alongside traditional utility infrastructure in its New England service territories.