SolarEdge Technologies, a a provider of DC-optimized inverter systems and smart energy tech, announced a new milestone: more than 500 MWh of residential battery storage is now enrolled in Virtual Power Plant (VPP) programs across 16 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.
The company also continues to expand its grid services portfolio globally, participating in VPP programs across Europe, Australia, and Canada. Today, over 40% of SolarEdge sites with a battery in the U.S. participate in incentive programs, allowing homeowners and TPO partners to earn rewards for supporting grid stability during peak demand.
SolarEdge launched several new programs this year, including:
- Arizona Public Service (APS) – a performance-based program for customers who provide support to the grid during peak demand periods. Participants can receive $110 per kW based on the average kW their battery releases throughout the event season.
- Tucson Electric Power (TEP) – has launched its first residential battery-focused demand response program, enabling homeowners to earn up to $120 per kW (averaged over all events) for supporting grid reliability during summer and winter seasons. Payments are issued twice annually.
- Expanding energy storage program to South Carolina – SolarEdge’s South Carolina solar plus energy storage program can provide up to $624 per year in ongoing incentives for customers.
- New York State Programs – including National Grid, NYSEG, and Rochester Gas & Electric, which complement NYSERDA’s Expanded Storage Incentive offering up to $6,250 per system.
- These new programs join the Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) program in California and a “first-of-its-kind” program in Puerto Rico.
“Virtual power plants are fundamentally changing the economics of home energy storage,” said Tamara Sinensky, Senior Manager of Grid Services Product in North America at SolarEdge. “This shift is accelerating adoption and proving that distributed energy can be both personally beneficial and essential infrastructure for our communities.”
A partnership between EnergyHub and SolarEdge enables battery owners to participate in utility programs across North America via the EnergyHub Edge DERMS platform. A provider of clean energy software and services, EnergyHub helps 120+ utilities manage over 1.8M distributed energy resources (DERs) and more than 2.5 GW of flexible capacity with customer-centric VPP programs and cross-DER optimization.
“Our partnership with SolarEdge will help our utility clients unlock the full potential of virtual power plants,” said Ella Wynn Roseman, Head of Battery at EnergyHub. “Batteries offer significant capacity and flexibility, and when customers participate in VPPs, they gain more value from their devices with minimal disruption.”
“Reaching 500 MWh of storage in VPPs is a significant milestone for SolarEdge and our customers and partners,” said Marty Rogers, GM of North America at SolarEdge. “Our advanced Grid Services and VPP platform provides the flexibility to participate in a wide range of programs, helping customers and partners unlock incentives, optimize energy use, and support grid stability. This combination of technology and choice demonstrates how SolarEdge technology, manufactured right here in the U.S., can deliver real financial benefits while accelerating the transition to a more resilient grid.”
A post-layoff SolarEdge
In January, SolarEdge completed its fourth layoff in a year, with 400 more jobs getting the axe in that round. The Israel-based company had already conducted three layoffs in 2024 – in January (900 jobs), July (400 jobs), and November (500 jobs).
SolarEdge wass facing two main obstacles, Calcalist reports: high interest rates in the United States reducing the attractiveness of rooftop solar, and oversupply in Europe stemming from initial reactions to the war in Ukraine and bans on natural gas imports from Russia.
In January 2024, when SolarEdge laid off 900 employees, approximately 500 of the affected employees worked at the company’s manufacturing sites. This move followed SolarEdge’s discontinuation of manufacturing in Mexico, reduction of manufacturing capacity in China, and termination of its light commercial vehicle e-mobility activity.
Last November’s round of 500 layoffs included ceasing all activities of SolarEdge’s energy storage division. Most of these employees set to lose their jobs were located in South Korea, according to SolarEdge, and were to be dismissed over the first half of 2025. SolarEdge claimed this will not impact the solar business sale of batteries for residential and C&I markets, indicating the decision only impacts the manufacturing of lithium-ion battery cells that serve utility-scale projects. In a Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), SolarEdge said it was taking the actions “as part of its execution of its commitment to focus on its core solar activities.”
