dcbel joins Massachusetts energy independence pilot program
Alongside various energy partners, home energy technology firm dcbel has announced its participation in the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) V2X Pilot Program.
Aiming to give Bay State homeowners independence in their energy bills, the program will fully subsidize the cost of a dcbel Ara Home Energy Station. This subsidization includes full product installation for homeowners across Massachusetts.
“V2X is often discussed as a grid technology, but for homeowners, its real power begins at home,” says Duc Duy Tran, sales lead at dcbel. “Ara helps transform a bidirectional EV from a vehicle into a central part of the home’s energy mix, giving families a smarter way to manage power, prepare for outages, and increase their energy independence.”
The project also allows participants participants with a 2018 to 2025 Nissan Leaf, a 2025 Polestar 3, or a 2025 Volvo EX90 to use their EV to power their home. The program will also support grid resilience throughout the state, and EV owners are still eligible if they do not already have solar and storage installed.
Making use of the dcbel Ara
When connected to a bidirectional EV, the dcbel Ara can save homeowners up to $1,300 per year through smart charging during off-peak hours. Additionally, the system can tap into the EV as an everyday distributed energy resource, using it as a battery to power the home during peak hours, and selling the excess energy back to the grid for a profit.
The company says that when blackouts or brownouts hit the grid, the Ara can leverage an EV’s battery to keep lights on for up to ten days, acting as a makeshift generator.
According to officials from the Montreal-based firm, increasing energy independence is “easy” once the Ara is installed. A local installer can connect the system for up to 30% more efficiency, making the product a key to data gathering under the V2X program.
“MassCEC will gather real-world data on system performance, environmental and financial impact, and user behavior to guide future V2X initiatives across the state,” dcbel officials say. “Homeowners will be able to select from various vehicle-to-grid programs and have Ara intelligently manage their participation to earn rewards.”
Applications for dcbel’s piece of the MassCEC V2X program are open until Sept. 30, 2026, or until all program funds are exhausted.
