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Question for you, currently in the proceeds of getting 2 powerwalls. I moved into my current home that already has Tesla solar panels but under SREC and Tesla is taking those credits since last home owners paid for the panels outright. I know I will get connected solutions $1400-2000 seems to be the figure. But will I also be able to enroll in SMART as well just the batteries as the panels are under SREC ?
No, you can't get the SMART incentive if your PV is under SREC.
 
Anyone here in the NG territory get the payment from Tesla for Winter yet ? (did anyone notice any events over the Winter?) I recall getting a check last spring. haven't seen anything yet.
I got a 3hr event on 1/29 and this odd 30 min event on 1/12. I emailed Tesla about the 1/12 event and they never replied. So not expecting much for this winter. Maybe $200-ish on two PW2's.

No payment yet, they paid last winter at end of June, so would not worry about it until then. They sent an email when they sent the payment.
 
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Hi everyone - my mom *finally* got her system online yesterday and according to Tesla, we're supposedly enrolled in both SMART and ConnectedSolutions.

I'm wondering how we confirm this for certain. We've gotten an email from CS, stating the summer season started on June 1st but nothing else. Will our next indication be a notification that an event is about to occur? What about SMART? Are the incentives just credited back to the account where the electric bill is paid from?

Also, will the PowerWall still participate in CS if set to Backup Only mode?

Thanks!
 
@jsurpless If Tesla says you are enrolled, I'd probably trust that. The only confirmation I had was the affirmative response from my Tesla Energy rep. The real confirmation was seeing the batteries sending power to the grid during an event (and the eventual check from Tesla). Also, on the Tesla app, you should see "Tesla Virtual Power Plant" when you look at the "Power Flow" section.
And, don't expect any notification about an upcoming event. As a matter of fact, the Tesla app has never even pushed a notification that the power walls are discharging. If I'm lucky, I get a notification of an actual power outage.
Lastly, even if you are in backup mode, the Powerwall will participate in CS. You'll be left with ~20% battery for backups in case of an event, as I recall from my experience over the past year. (I don't know anything about the SMART program)
 
@masam I don't think that the version of firmware (20.49.0) has that 'Tesla Virtual Power Plant' feature in the 'Power Flow'; when I tap on the version # in the app, I see a May 2021 (21.13.2) version but that's supposedly only "selected regions".

So we don't get any notification of an upcoming event? My understanding is that you're supposed to so that you can opt out, if desired.

And when you say 'backup mode', may I assume that you're referring to the 'Backup-Only' mode under 'Customize'? I ask because a friend posted a similar question on a FB group and the reply there was that backup only mode precludes participation in Connected Solutions (similar to how it won't go below 20% or whatever in Self-Powered).
 
Hi everyone - my mom *finally* got her system online yesterday and according to Tesla, we're supposedly enrolled in both SMART and ConnectedSolutions.

I'm wondering how we confirm this for certain. We've gotten an email from CS, stating the summer season started on June 1st but nothing else. Will our next indication be a notification that an event is about to occur? What about SMART? Are the incentives just credited back to the account where the electric bill is paid from?

Also, will the PowerWall still participate in CS if set to Backup Only mode?

Thanks!
FWIW I am with eversource in MA as well. My system has been running since 12/2020. For the SMART program I received status emails showing the progress, the final approval came about 1 month after PTO. It took almost 3 months for the SMART payments to start. the good news is that since SMART program uses a separate solar generation meter, you will get paid for the generation from when it was installed. There was recently an email from Eversource saying that they want folks on the SMART program with powerwalls to not be in backup mode and that they are asking Tesla to ask us. It seems that they didn’t think to make that a requirement when they set up the program with the bonus for batteries which they call ESS for energy storage systems. I guess they want to actually have us use the batteries since they are paying a premium to us for having them. I’ve set my system to be in self power but with a high value for reserve for backup. They are asking Tesla to track the usage of the battery for their information.

Payments for SMART are separate from your electric bill and they send the account owner a check about three months after the meter reading. I was able to set up direct deposit by contacting the program. You should receive an email detailing the payment a few days before the check arrives.

For Connectedsolutions there were two events in the winter program where they took power from my system. I got no notification of these events and my system at that time was in backup mode. So it seems that backup mode doesn’t stop connectedsolutions. I did get that same season started email detailing the summer connectedsolutions program where they are planning 60 events. I didn‘t get any communication from connectedsolutions until that recent notification. I am expecting the winter payment this month based on what other folks have said.
 
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This is what they sent about SMART and ESS usage:

5/11/2021

SMART Program Participants,

In January 2021, the Department requested Energy Storage System (ESS) performance data for the first calendar year of a Solar Tariff Generation Unit’s (STGU) production pursuant to the reporting requirements found in 225 CMR 20.06(1)(e)4. In reviewing the performance data, the Department identified two issues regarding ESS performance. To support SMART participants with ESS maintaining eligibility in the program, the Department requests that applicants coordinate with system owners and ES manufacturers to:

  • Ensure the ESS is not in “backup mode” and is instead configured to operate in self-consumption mode, or other similar mode.
  • Ensure there is enough storage capacity within the inverter or an external server to save performance data for a full calendar year.
System owners should contact the applicants of their STGUs if there are further questions. By making these two adjustments, it will support the compliance of ESS in the SMART Program.

Regards,



Eric Steltzer

Director, Renewables and Alternative Energy Division
 
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@masam I don't think that the version of firmware (20.49.0) has that 'Tesla Virtual Power Plant' feature in the 'Power Flow'; when I tap on the version # in the app, I see a May 2021 (21.13.2) version but that's supposedly only "selected regions".

So we don't get any notification of an upcoming event? My understanding is that you're supposed to so that you can opt out, if desired.

And when you say 'backup mode', may I assume that you're referring to the 'Backup-Only' mode under 'Customize'? I ask because a friend posted a similar question on a FB group and the reply there was that backup only mode precludes participation in Connected Solutions (similar to how it won't go below 20% or whatever in Self-Powered).
I have 20.49.0 and the app shows "Tesla Virtual Power Plant". Clicking on it pulls up a banner that explains what this is.

As far as prior notification of events - No, I've never got a notification before, during or after an event. Did experience a lot of them though. No idea how one would opt out, to be honest. I really like Tesla's mission and products (and own their cars too), but I would probably not consider Tesla (or Nation Grid for that matter) as exemplars of excellent customer service or clear and timely communication. (<rant>As an example, I've been waiting for over a year on a recall on the X, a callback on a screen issue on a MS dating back 2 years despite repeated calls to the service center, and many, many months on the eMMC recall on both cars - Yes, I am well aware of the semiconductor shortage, but Tesla always seems to be short on parts and supplies when it comes to these recalls, pre-COVID </rant>). Anyway, the short of it is that you shouldn't expect any communication from Tesla. From a technical standpoint I see no reason why they cannot push a notification considering that they can drain our batteries when needed. But, hey, I consider myself lucky if I get a notification from the app in case of power outages 🤷‍♂️

I have my batteries set to "self powered" under "Customize", so I'm no longer certain how the batteries perform in the CS program when in "backup only" mode. Sorry for causing any confusion.
 
I have 20.49.0 and the app shows "Tesla Virtual Power Plant". Clicking on it pulls up a banner that explains what this is.
Hmmm, I still don't see it - I wonder if that means our enrollment isn't quite "done". I think that this might be the case since a friend has 21.13.2 but he doesn't see TVPP either.

Don't even get me started on Tesla's (or EverSource's, for that matter) project management capability.
 
Looks like there will be an event today.
Here is how I can tell:
1. My unit is staying charged to 100%, not dropping down to 99/98/97
2. Under power flow then graph, if I trigger Grid services, I can see that this morning's recharge counted as grid services. Yesterday's (not a DR day, not sure why) did not.
BTW @masam you can go back to any day in the day view and get the data and then scroll down to the bottom of the app and click "Download My Data". I was doing this for every DR day to do my own calcs in past years. I am not sure I will bother this year as last year's was dead on accurate.
Screenshots attached of what I see in my app including the VPP branding. Its also a Nest DR day so the AC is cranking right now so they can shut it off at 4PM (just explaining the 6.9kW consumption).
 

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Looks like a 2hr event today 4PM-6PM by the fact that its discharging a full 10kW. The 2hr events are great for the average.

BTW no email or check from them for winter... I plan to ping them mid next week after the holiday rather than get stuck at bottom of their inbox.
 

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My three powerwalls are installed in the garage, but awaiting connection to my panel. I'm also still waiting for the solar roof itself to get installed - was supposed to start yesterday but pushed to next week due to high temps. With my luck, it will be snowing next week and they'll need to push the install out again.
 
i also had a two hour event today from 5 to 7. I expect tomorrow to also be an event. My ChargePoint EVSE is also enrolled in connectedsolutions and they send emails about their events which seem to also correspond to powerwall discharge events. i got an email from them yesterday about today and an email today about tomorrow. My app doesn’t show tvpp, but you can see the 15kW discharging.
3B83FA40-CBB4-490B-9939-489A2DBC0398.png
 
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I also noticed a difference in charging the powerwall this am. I have my system set to self powered with 85% reserve and usually the powerwalls charge only with excess solar vs usage. This morning the powerwalls started charging at the solar generation rate, ignoring the household usage, like when the system is in backup only mode.
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