Ava Community Energy debuts SmartHome Battery community program
Homeowners in northern California are gaining access to new residential community battery VPP incentives through Ava Community Energy’s SmartHome Battery program.
Based in Oakland, California, the program combines residential solar and energy storage options under one roof. Offering area residents two different incentives, the $11 million program allows residents to connect their newly installed home battery to Ava’s VPP, which the company can then use as a collective grid resource.
“This program was designed to help offset legislative changes to the residential solar industry,” says Howard Chang, CEO of Ava Community Energy. “The introduction of the Solar Billing Plan (SBP) in 2023 and the end of federal tax incentives (ITC) at the end of 2025 left customers with fewer benefits and more costs. As electricity demand is on the rise, our role is to help our customers navigate these headwinds through incentive programs that make electrification more affordable and maintain grid stability.”
The goal of the the battery system is to make home storage more affordable for the average consumer, combined with helping residents to reduce spiking utility bills. The batteries also help to create a stronger grid in the northern California area, which is “enabling a more resilient electricity grid for all” through one of the state’s largest VPPs.
Double the incentive opportunities
Ava Community Energy officials say the new battery program offers two different types of consumer incentives for northern California residents.
First, the company’s installation rebate will help lower initial costs for consumers looking to install solar and storage in their homes. The company also offers participation payments where customers can earn $3 per month for every kilowatt-hour, based on the portion of the battery that participants contribute to the VPP.
“The ongoing participation payments encourage participants to share a percentage of their battery with Ava’s VPP to use during grid events,” the company says. “The amount of money that can be earned for each is based on how much of the battery that is chosen by the customer: 40%, 60% or 80%.”
Installation rebate customers will receive $90 per kWh, depending on the amount of battery each customer shares to the VPP. Income-qualified customers will receive up to $500 per kWh.
Ava Community Energy already provides for more than 2 million residents and businesses across Alameda County and San Joaquin County. The company is currently one of 25 community choice aggregation programs in California, and is “committed to creating a brighter future in our communities and beyond,” through competitive power programs.
“All Ava Community Energy customers who are installing a program-approved home battery or already have a program-approved home battery are eligible for SmartHome Battery,” the company says. “Customers must own their batteries and not be enrolled in conflicting programs. The program enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis and will remain open until the program budget is fully committed.”
