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NuWatt designs, installs, and manages solar, battery, heat pump, and EV charger systems across 9 states. One company, one warranty, one point of contact.
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Mass Save ConnectedSolutions is the highest-paying residential VPP program in the Northeast: $275/kW summer + $50/kW winter through Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil. A Tesla Powerwall 3 (5 kW continuous) earns $1,375 in summer events and $250 in winter — up to the $1,500 annual cap. NuWatt handles enrollment as part of every battery install. Use the calculator below to see your specific battery's annual earnings.
Program details
Mass Save ConnectedSolutions pays residential battery owners $275/kW for summer peak-shaving events (typically 30-60 events per year, June-September) plus $50/kW for winter events. Highest-paying VPP program in the Northeast.
ConnectedSolutions dispatches enrolled batteries during peak grid demand — typically 30-60 events per summer (June-September, 2-7 PM weekdays) and ~10 winter events. Each event lasts 2-4 hours. Your battery discharges automatically via the Powerwall/Enphase/Franklin cloud platform; you don't need to do anything. The battery recharges overnight at off-peak rates. Mass Save pays annually in Q4 based on your enrolled kW capacity and participation rate. A 90%+ participation rate is required for full payment — occasional opt-outs for vacations are allowed but reduce your annual payout proportionally.
Real enrollment example
The Rileys in Framingham had a Tesla Powerwall 3 installed in late March 2025. NuWatt submitted their ConnectedSolutions enrollment to Eversource the same week they received PTO. By mid-May — about seven weeks after install — their battery was active in the Mass Save dispatch system. Their Powerwall participated in 38 summer events between June and September without a single opt-out. The Q4 payment hit their account in November: $1,375 for summer plus $250 for six winter events earlier that year. Total first-year VPP earnings: $1,625, which covered 11% of the installed battery cost.
On a 94°F July Tuesday, Eversource triggers a ConnectedSolutions dispatch at 2:15 PM. The Rileys' Powerwall gets the signal via Tesla's cloud — no notification buzzes their phone unless they've opted in. By 2:20 PM the battery is exporting 5 kW to the grid. Inside, the central AC keeps running, the fridge hums along, and the kids don't notice anything. The event ends at 5:45 PM. Overnight, the Powerwall quietly recharges from the grid at Eversource's off-peak rate of $0.13/kWh, fully topped off by 6 AM.
In Massachusetts, ConnectedSolutions events run 2-7 PM — overlapping with about two hours of strong solar production. A 9 kW rooftop array generates 4-5 kWh during the event window, meaning the Powerwall recharges partially from free solar rather than paying $0.13/kWh overnight. Over a full summer season, solar recharging saves $45-65 in grid electricity costs. More importantly, solar-paired batteries qualify for SMART 3.0 adders worth $0.02-0.04/kWh on all production, adding $180-360/year. Net impact: solar pairing adds $225-425/year to total battery value versus a standalone storage install.
Live calculator
Change the state dropdown to compare across NuWatt’s service area, or leave it on Massachusetts to see the number for your specific battery.
Virtual Power Plant revenue by state for Tesla Powerwall 3
10 years
Estimated annual revenue
$1,500
per year from Mass Save ConnectedSolutions
10-year total
$15,000
before fees/taxes
Battery price offset
98%
of $15,250
Program structure
$/kW/yr
min 3 kW / 5 kWh
Annual revenue breakdown
About Mass Save ConnectedSolutions
Mass Save ConnectedSolutions pays residential battery owners $275/kW for summer peak-shaving events (typically 30-60 events per year, June-September) plus $50/kW for winter events. Highest-paying VPP program in the Northeast.
Administered by Eversource / National Grid / Unitil (Mass Save consortium) · Last reviewed 2026-04
Learn about enrollmentMethodology
VPP revenue estimates use published program rates from utility tariff filings and ConnectedSolutions program reports as of 2026. Actual payment depends on the number of events called, your battery’s performance during events, and ongoing enrollment. Rates change quarterly — re-run this calculator before making financial decisions. This is informational, not a guarantee of revenue.
NuWatt installs VPP-eligible batteries across all 9 service states. We handle the ConnectedSolutions / BYOD enrollment paperwork as part of the install.
Start my free battery quoteSummer events: $275 per kW of continuous battery power output. Winter events: $50/kW additional. For a 5 kW battery like the Tesla Powerwall 3, that is $1,375 summer + $250 winter = $1,625, capped at $1,500/year. For the Franklin aPower 2 (7.6 kW), the uncapped calculation is $2,090 summer + $380 winter = $2,470, but you receive the $1,500 cap. Larger batteries hit the cap faster but don't earn more.
All three MA utilities participate in the same Mass Save ConnectedSolutions program at identical rates ($275/kW summer, $50/kW winter). The difference is in event dispatching: Eversource and National Grid call events independently based on their service territory grid conditions. In practice, both call 30-60 summer events per year. Unitil is smaller and may call fewer events, but the payment is based on enrolled capacity, not event count — so your annual payment is the same regardless of utility.
Your battery receives a dispatch signal from the utility (via Tesla, Enphase, or Franklin cloud). It begins discharging to the grid within minutes. During the 2-4 hour event window, your home draws power from the grid normally while the battery exports. After the event, the battery recharges overnight at off-peak rates ($0.12-0.15/kWh). You retain emergency backup reserves — ConnectedSolutions never drains below 20% to preserve storm protection.
No. ConnectedSolutions events only dispatch during normal grid operation. If the grid goes down (storm, equipment failure), your battery immediately switches to backup mode and powers your home. The utility cannot dispatch a battery that is in backup mode. Additionally, your installer sets a minimum reserve (typically 20%) that ConnectedSolutions respects even during normal events.
Yes. SMART 3.0 and ConnectedSolutions are separate programs that stack cleanly. SMART pays you for solar production ($0.03-0.06/kWh depending on capacity block), while ConnectedSolutions pays for battery dispatch capacity ($275/kW). Solar-paired batteries also qualify for a SMART adder that increases your per-kWh production incentive. The combined stack — ITC + SMART + ConnectedSolutions + TOU arbitrage — produces the fastest residential clean energy ROI in the country.
NuWatt enrolls every battery install in ConnectedSolutions as part of our standard scope of work — no extra charge. After installation and utility interconnection (4-8 weeks), we submit the enrollment paperwork to Mass Save. Activation typically takes 2-3 weeks after PTO (Permission to Operate). You start earning from the next dispatch event after activation. We also monitor enrollment status through our operations dashboard and re-enroll if a firmware update temporarily drops the battery from the program.