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Vermont replacing power plants with home batteries

389 points · 304 comments · devonnull

  1. hettygreen · · focus · HN ↗
    Here's a better article:

    <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;electrek.co&#x2F;2026&#x2F;07&#x2F;28&#x2F;vermonts-largest-energy-source-is-now-a-virtual-power-plant&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;electrek.co&#x2F;2026&#x2F;07&#x2F;28&#x2F;vermonts-largest-energy-sourc...

    Seems like they supply each person with 2 Tesla powerwalls for the $55&#x2F;month and get a reduction in their bills that depends on how much power they choose to share to the grid during power outages.

    They&#x27;ve already closed down 2 peaker power plants because of this, so it doesn&#x27;t seem to just be about handling power outages, but also handling fluctuating power usage instead of firing up extra power plants.

    1. sandworm101 · · focus · HN ↗
      Lithium is not the way to go for home batteries. As size&#x2F;weight are not an issue for a basement or shed install, oldschool lead-acid are much cheaper and can be easily recycled once at end of life.

      Those tesla wall packs will be a massive headache when they give up the ghost. Read the contract carefully. Who is responsable for end-of-life disposal? Where&#x2F;how are they to be disposed of? Lead acids can be taken to any number of recycling centers, some will even pay you for them.

      1. 1970-01-01 · · focus · HN ↗
        &gt;Lithium is not the way to go for home batteries.

        Turns out, they&#x27;re on top of this.

        <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;cswd.net&#x2F;cswd-in-the-news&#x2F;vermont-expands-battery-recycling-program-to-include-most-single-use-and-rechargeable-batteries&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;cswd.net&#x2F;cswd-in-the-news&#x2F;vermont-expands-battery-re...

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