🗽 Responsible Grid Pilot NYC

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What’s in the Box? Inside the Tech Powering Responsible Grid

An inside look at the technology behind NYC’s largest indoor residential battery pilot — and why these small devices could reshape how cities handle demand spikes and power outages.

📦 What’s in the Box?

Each participating household is equipped with a Bluetti 200 V2 — a 2 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) portable battery. Roughly the size of a shoe box, it connects directly to a window A/C or other home devices and delivers energy on demand.

• 🔋 Safe for apartments: LFP is widely regarded for its strong safety profile. Fundamentally different to e-bike & scooter chemistries, LFP batteries are far less susceptible to fire risk and thermal runaway, making them the preferred choice for energy storage today.
• 🧯 UL-certified + permit-free: These units are UL 2743-certified for indoor residential use, with built-in protections against overheating and overcharging. Unlike whole-home batteries, they don’t require special permits, rewiring, or specific installation in NYC.
• 🤫 Silent: There’s minimal noise, no fumes, and no maintenance — just plug it in, and it quietly works in the background.
• ♻️ Long-lasting: Each battery can be cycled over 6000 times — meaning it will last for years, even with daily use.
• 📶 Wirelessly monitored: With 24/7 monitoring and advanced battery management, we proactively identify & address anomalies before they impact performance or safety.

In other words, these aren’t centralized utility-scale systems. They’re distributed workhorses, tucked into apartments and operating around the clock.

🧯Battery Safety: Designed for Indoors, Tested for Extremes

Not all batteries are created equal — and when it comes to placing energy storage inside homes, safety comes first. That’s why our pilot uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, known for its rock-solid thermal stability and long cycle life. It’s the same battery type trusted in electric buses and grid-scale storage systems. Unlike other lithium-ion chemistries found in e-bikes and phones, LFP cathode chemistries have high stability and do not release oxygen during decomposition.

The other critical angle for safety comes from the product partners we work with: for our pilot deployment, Bluetti Power is a trusted brand that has sold 10,000’s of products into the outdoor, emergency backup, and off grid segments. This proven track record means these batteries have been rigorously field-tested in diverse, demanding conditions—ensuring reliability, durability, and peace of mind for urban residents. Bluetti validates durability across mechanical, thermal, electromagnetic, and even water resistance tests in some cases across their product portfolio:

Why This Matters in NYC:

Indoor battery storage has historically been restricted due to code concerns. But safer chemistries, modern enclosures, and new certifications are making indoor energy storage not only possible, but practical — especially for dense cities like New York.

🌆 Small Batteries, Big Impact: A New Model for Grid Equity

While most grid solutions require utility-scale investments and long permitting timelines, this pilot shows what’s possible with distributed batteries deployed directly in people’s homes.

Here’s What We’re Proving:

• Distributed energy can strengthen the grid faster than centralized infrastructure.
• All residents — including tenants — can monetize load flexibility and save on utility bills: not just utilities and developers.
• These batteries offer quiet, clean backup during outages/brownouts — a major win for communities vulnerable to extreme heat.

Imagine what this could look like at scale!

This is about more than battery specs. It’s about changing who has access to energy security — and making clean power personal.

Stay tuned for more insights from Responsible Grid!

Responsible Grid ™ is a pilot program by Standard Potential.

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