Batteries are Helping NYC Beat the Heat and the Grid’s Dirtiest Polluters

The first heatwave of 2025 approaches as a dangerous heat dome builds over the Northeast, and NYC temps reaching 100°F next week. That kind of heat doesn’t just test our air conditioners. It pushes the power grid to the brink.

But something new is happening this summer. In homes across the city, a fleet of small, intelligent batteries is helping New York stay cool, reduce pollution, and ease strain on the grid — without compromising comfort.

Here’s how it works — and why it matters.

💥 The Problem With Peaker Plants

When the grid is stressed, New York City often turns to 28 aging gas “peaker” plants — backup fossil fuel facilities that only run a few hundred hours per year. But their impact is far outsized:

They emit ~20× more nitrogen oxides (NOx) than the city’s average generators — a pollutant linked to respiratory disease.
Nearly all are located in state-designated disadvantaged communities where residents already endure some of the city's worst air quality.
They’re inefficient and expensive, driving up costs for all New Yorkers.

Replacing even a fraction of this capacity with flexible, local resources like batteries can cut pollution, reduce costs, and improve public health.

⚡ This Is Where Demand Response Comes In

When extreme heat drives electricity use sky-high — typically between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. — the grid can quickly become overwhelmed. That’s when Con Edison calls a “grid event,” asking all available resources to help balance the system.

Traditionally, that meant firing up peaker plants. But now, programs like Responsible Grid are proving there’s a better way: using intelligent, distributed batteries and responsive households to reduce strain — quickly, cleanly, and locally.

🔋 Why Batteries Are a Better Option

Many demand response programs rely on “nudges” which get users to turn off A/Cs or turn up the temperature during a heat wave but that model has clear downsides: it impacts comfort, and it’s often ineffective in dense urban housing.

Battery-based demand response flips the script.

No disruption: Households stay cool. The battery silently powers the air conditioner during peak hours.
Higher performance: batteries operate with high performance factors under Con Edison’s Smart Usage Rewards program.
Grid-wide value: Batteries respond in seconds, making them useful even on mild days when solar and wind generation fluctuate.

This summer’s pilot is exploring what a smarter, cleaner energy response could look like — right from the living room.

🌇 Not Just for Emergencies: Everyday Energy Optimization

Even outside official “grid events,” batteries can reduce emissions.

Our pilot is exploring how batteries can charge when the grid is cleanest and discharge when it’s dirtiest to shift electricity demand away from high-carbon hours — helping to cut daily emissions and reduce the need for peaker plants.

Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing:

Total energy shifted away from fossil-fuel peakers
Estimated emission reductions
Economic value created with demand response

🗓️ What Happens During a Grid Event?

During Grid Events:

Battery-powered homes automatically reduce grid load — no action needed from residents.
Households in a parallel control group receive a quick text alert, asking them to reduce usage for a short window (e.g., dim lights, delay laundry).

Even small actions, coordinated across neighborhoods, can make a measurable impact.

What’s Next?

This pilot is just beginning — if you're interested in learning more, joining future programs, or seeing how the Responsible Grid works in action, reach out to us at pilot@responsiblegrid.com and stay connected!

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Responsible Grid ™ is a pilot program by Standard Potential.