a16z-backed Base Power deploys home batteries to bypass grid interconnection queue
Tags Infrastructure · Startups
Base Power, a startup backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), is placing battery storage units in homes to provide backup power services while feeding excess capacity back to the grid. The model bypasses the PJM interconnection queue, which has years-long wait times for new grid-connected resources. Homeowners receive cheaper electricity in exchange for allowing Base Power to use their battery capacity. The approach turns residential energy storage into distributed grid infrastructure, addressing both the interconnection bottleneck and growing grid reliability concerns.
Technical significance
Distributed energy storage at the residential scale could fundamentally change how grid operators manage peak demand and reliability. By aggregating thousands of small battery installations, Base Power creates a virtual power plant without the permitting and construction timelines of traditional infrastructure. This model could be replicated in other regions facing interconnection bottlenecks.