Qcells Energy Storage Solutions Program - Connecticut

Get More out of your Q.HOME CORE Energy Storage System with Qcells’ VPP Program (Connecticut)- Energy Storage Solutions Program

Earn Incentives of up to $18,000 in 10 Years!*

Homeowners with Qcells’ Q.HOME CORE Energy Storage System in Connecticut can now join an innovative network of homes connected through smart technology to support the electric grid, while earning rewards.

*When enrolled in both active and passive dispatch programs

How It Works

Select an Eligible Contractor to install the Q.HOME CORE energy storage system at your home and submit the applications.
- If you are enrolling in the passive dispatch program or both passive and active dispatch, work with your installer to submit the applications. No need to submit the registration form here.
- If you are enrolling in the active dispatch program only, complete the registration form on the right after your system is installed and commissioned.
After your Eligible Contractor installs your battery, on summer days, and when the grid is stressed, the utility will dispatch energy from your battery to help reduce peak electricity demand. If a storm is on the horizon, the utility will not dispatch energy from your battery.
Participating customers receive an upfront incentive for passive dispatch enrollment to reduce the battery’s cost. Additionally, performance-based incentives are paid for active dispatch enrollment at the end of each summer and winter season based on average energy contributions to the grid.

For additional program details, please click here.

Registration Form for Active Dispatch Only

Program Dispatch Options

Program Element		Summer	Winter
Performance-based Incentive (Active Dispatch: only discharge when called*)	Events per Season	30 to 60	1 to 5
	Months	Jun - Sep	Nov - Mar
	Event Duration	1 - 3 Hours	1 - 3 Hours
	Anticipated Dispatch Window	9 AM to 9 PM (All Days)	9 AM to 9 PM (All Days)
Upfront Incentive (Passive Dispatch: preconfigured fixed discharge schedule**)	Events per Season	All non-holiday weekdays (~60)	N/A
	Months	Jun - Aug	N/A
	Event Duration	5 Hours	N/A
	Anticipated Dispatch Window	3 PM - 8 PM	N/A

*The active dispatch will control battery discharge through API automatically.

**The passive dispatch configuration can be set up in Q.HOME Portal/APP.

For additional program details, please click here.

Upfront Incentive for Passive Dispatch

Green Bank will deliver the upfront incentive to the project contractor within 8 weeks of the project application’s full approval.

Step	Installed Capacity	Standard	Underserved	Low-Income
Step 1 (Current)	10 MW	$250/kWh	$450/kWh	$600/kWh
Step 2	15 MW	$212.5/kWh	$450/kWh	$600/kWh
Step 3	25 MW	$162.5/kWh	$450/kWh	$600/kWh
Step 3	+50%

* The upfront residential incentive is calculated based on the minimum of the following three formulas:

– Residential Formula 1: BESS rated energy capacity (kWh) * Step Rate in $/kWh [$250/kWh]
– Residential Formula 2: 50% of BESS total installed cost
– Residential Formula 3: Maximum per project incentive of $16,000

Performance-Based Incentive for Active Dispatch

The Utilities (Eversource and UI) are responsible for paying out performance incentives associated with the active dispatch portion of the Program to participating homeowners within 8 weeks after the receipt of dispatch data from EnergyHub at the end of the dispatch season (summer or winter).

Year	Year 1 -5		Year 6 - 10
Season	Summer	Winter	Summer	Winter
Season Incentive Rate	$200/avg kW	$25/avg kW	$115/avg kW	$15/avg kW
Annual Incentive Rate	$225/avg kW		$130/avg kW

* Performance incentives are based on the average kW-AC your battery contributes per event for the summer and winter seasons.

Estimated Total Incentives for Q.HOME CORE

Q.HOME CORE battery owners can apply for both the upfront incentive (passive dispatch) and the performance-based incentive (active dispatch)!

Q.HOME CORE Battery Size	Estimated Upfront Incentive	Estimated Performance Incentive in 10 Years	Estimated Total Incentive in 10 Years
10 kWh	$2,500	$7,100	$9,600
15 kWh	$3,750	$10,650	$14,400
20 kWh	$5,000	$13,490	$18,490

*Upfront and performance-based incentives apply to passive and active dispatch, respectively.

** Upfront incentives are based on the Step 1 standard rate $250/kWh capacity.

*** Performance incentives are based on event duration of 2 hours and discharging 80% of total capacity during events.

Ready to Maximize your Benefits with Q.HOME CORE?
Enroll Today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can participate?

Homeowners owning a Q.HOME CORE energy storage system in UI and Eversource territories in Connecticut.

*The active dispatch incentives and application details apply to cash/loan customers only. Lease/PPA customers neither need to apply nor qualify for the active dispatch incentives.

Why should I participate?

Participation allows you to maximize the benefits of your Q.HOME CORE system, while also earning incentives. Being a part of an innovative virtual power plant (VPP) allows you to support your community and advances clean energy technologies.

Please refer to the table above for details on the incentives you can receive from the program.

What is the difference between passive and active dispatch?

Passive dispatch will discharge up to 80% of your battery automatically during the season, on non-holiday weekdays in June, July and August from 3 PM to 8 PM. You are required to opt-in to passive dispatch to receive the up-front incentives on your home battery.

Active dispatch events can also be called during the summer, but you will have the option to opt in or decline to have your battery discharged. On days when Eversource or UI calls an active dispatch event, passive dispatch will be canceled so your battery will be called on to contribute to the grid no more than once per day.

How Do I Participate?

Homeowners have the option to participate in only one or both options!

To participate in active dispatch (performance-based incentive) only, enroll through the enrollment form above directly once the system is installed and commissioned.
To participate in passive dispatch (upfront incentive) or both passive + active dispatch, work with your installer to submit the applications. There will be no need to submit the registration form above.
That’s it! Qcells will manage your participation for you upon successful enrollment.

How can I opt out of certain events due to an emergency?

You can opt out in the Q.HOME APP/Portal. Note that by opting out of over 10% of Passive Adjustment Events, you are at risk of surrendering some or all of the incentives and may have to return any previously received incentives, as more particularly described in the Program Manual which could be found on the program website.

How can I withdraw from the program?

You can withdraw from the program by sending an email with your name, address, email and inverter serial number to info@energyhub.com and grid-service@qcells.com. By withdrawing, you may (1) have to surrender some or all of the incentive and may have to return any previously received incentives, as more particularly described in the Program Manual, and (2) not be able to participate in the Program in the future or other programs offered by Sponsor.

How do I ensure that I will have enough backup energy for outage events?

The utility companies will not call events for the two days preceding predicted severe outage events and during emergency conditions.

Can I still receive the bill credit for excess discharge power that is exported to the electric grid during the dispatch events?

Yes, the incentive offered by the grid service program is additional and independent from the excess power credit under Net Energy Metering tariffs. You’ll continue receiving the same bill credit for exporting power to the grid after your enrollment.