‘Breakthrough moment’: Sunrun’s home solar-plus-storage to provide 20MW capacity in New England

LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email
Sunrun has been awarded contracts making home solar-plus-storage elgibile to compete in peaking capacity auctions by ISO New England.

Solar-plus-storage systems in ordinary households will provide 20MW of energy capacity in New England, with Sunrun announcing the award of a contract from region’s ISO (independent system operator).

Aggregated as a virtual power plant, around 5,000 customer systems will be able to contribute to meeting peaking capacity demand on the network, the most polluting – and expensive – energy on the grid. ISO New England figures forecast peak load between 1 June 2019 and the end of May 2020 of as much as 25,528.391MW during the peak hour of 4pm to 5pm.

While the residential solar leasing company’s initial contribution to the value of the entire opportunity is fairly modest, it is among the largest VPP’s projects announced to date as well as the first capacity contract in the US from an ISO to a home storage operator.

Sunrun said in a release that it would utilise the company’s own energy storage system, Brightbox, to participate in capacity auctions, having successfully met the criteria to take part.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Enjoy 12 months of exclusive analysis

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Annual digital subscription to the PV Tech Power journal
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

CEO Lynne Jurich hailed the contract as a “breakthrough moment”, claiming that “Sunrun will be able to deliver clean and reliable electricity to customers at a lower cost than traditional central generation and provide this resource to the wholesale capacity market. This new energy services model is a win-win for everyone.”

The project will lean on Sunrun’s partnership with National Grid. The pair have partnered in creating a joint-staffed unregulated electricity business, which includes developing grid services business models utilising home solar-plus-storage.

Read Next

October 8, 2025
The NSW Independent Planning Commission has granted planning approval for Potentia Energy’s 500MW Tallawang solar-plus-storage project.
October 3, 2025
EDF Renewables has brought its 300MWh Milagro project online in New Mexico, while Enlight Renewable Energy has secured US$340 million in tax equity financing for its 940MWh Roadrunner project in Arizona.
October 2, 2025
The TSO of Italy has completed its first MACSE auctions for energy storage, procuring 10GWh of capacity at what the NHOA CEO called ‘exceptionally competitive prices’.
September 30, 2025
According to the Q3 2025 US Energy Storage Monitor from Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables and the American Clean Power Association (ACP), annual installations will not reach 2025 levels again until 2029.
September 29, 2025
Samsung C&T Renewable Energy Australia has submitted plans for a 300MWh solar-plus-storage project in Queensland to Australia’s EPBC Act.

Most Popular

Email Newsletter