Four Brockton businesses are about to get something unusual from a Boston-area energy startup: free batteries, roughly the size of a refrigerator, installed at no upfront cost, designed to shave thousands of dollars off their electricity bills. The company behind the program, Powertown, says the devices charge when power is cheap and kick in when a business hits its peak demand, cutting the punishing demand charges that can eat into a company's bottom line.
Powertown is starting with four businesses in Brockton, according to The Boston Globe. The company pays for and installs the battery systems itself, then recoups its investment by taking a share of customers’ savings, while separately collecting payments from utilities whenever its batteries ease strain on the grid, the paper reports. The batteries charge when electricity is cheaper and come online precisely when participating businesses have their highest energy demand, according to the same report.
Joe Mulvey, facilities manager at Crown Uniform and Linen Service, described the arrangement in strikingly simple terms: using the batteries, he said, is like getting a free month's worth of electricity. Powertown's Elson Bankoff was joined by Mulvey and Elio Silva, owner of Vineyard Farm/North Star Distributors, at a Sept. 24 discussion hosted by the Metro South Chamber, where the startup's on-site battery model was presented to attendees.
Why Smaller Batteries Matter
Powertown's commercial batteries are smaller than the utility-scale systems that have drawn controversy elsewhere in the state. Bankoff says that makes his company's systems the first relatively small battery option for commercial customers in Massachusetts, though that claim has not been independently verified. The startup uses software designed to optimize savings for each facility, and its smaller footprint, the company says, makes permitting and installation easier and faster than for larger systems.
Powertown has briefed the Fire Prevention Association of Massachusetts on its technology and says it is building a safety feature to alert fire marshals when a battery shows warning signs of fire, the Globe notes.
A $6.9 Million Bet on Brockton
Powertown is seeking to invest $6.9 million in Brockton by 2032, aiming to install batteries at 17 commercial and industrial sites plus six municipal buildings across the city. The first batteries are slated to go in early 2027, with Powertown also eyeing expansion to other Massachusetts cities including Fall River and New Bedford.
The Bigger Push Behind Demand Charges
Demand charges are tied to a facility's highest energy demand. Utilities say the charges cover the cost of building and maintaining a grid capable of handling peak demand, and they already offer curtailment programs that reward businesses for cutting usage during high-demand periods.
The Brockton pilot lands amid a broader state push on energy storage. Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order in March directing Massachusetts to support 10 gigawatts of new energy resources by 2035, including a separate target of 5 gigawatts of storage, according to Utility Dive. That 10-gigawatt goal includes 4 gigawatts of solar and 3.5 gigawatts of demand reduction through measures like energy efficiency, virtual power plants and electric-vehicle charging management, the outlet reported, and the order directs state officials to expedite initiatives supporting solar, storage and wind.
National Grid's own ConnectedSolutions program offers commercial customers financial incentives for cutting electricity use during peak demand, with battery incentives available for systems up to 150% of a site's peak load, according to National Grid.
What It Could Mean for Emissions
Beyond the dollars, the battery program could reduce emissions. For now, the real test will be whether Powertown's projections actually materialize once the first systems go live in Brockton early next year.
