Solmar Insights
Eversource and National Grid, two of Massachusetts’ largest utilities, will begin enabling enrollment of vehicle-to-grid (V2G)-capable electric vehicles in their demand response virtual power plant (VPP) programs. The initiative allows EV owners to participate in grid management by contributing battery power during periods of high demand, deepening the state’s integration of distributed energy resources for grid flexibility.
Key figures
Eversource and National Grid now offering V2G enrollment
Program covers Massachusetts customers
Vehicle-to-grid EVs participate in demand response VPP
Utilities expand demand response toolkit
ConnectedSolutions, the demand response platform jointly operated by Eversource and National Grid in Massachusetts, is expanding to incorporate vehicle-to-grid capable electric vehicles. This evolution broadens the scope of resources eligible for enrollment, moving beyond traditional home batteries, thermostats, and commercial assets. By leveraging EV batteries, the utilities aim to increase the grid’s ability to respond rapidly to peak load conditions and balance supply and demand more flexibly.
The expansion signals a maturing approach to grid modernization within New England’s energy infrastructure, reflecting ongoing utility efforts to harness distributed energy for both resiliency and emissions management. Integrating EVs with two-way charging allows utilities to tap into a rapidly growing distributed storage pool as vehicle adoption accelerates statewide.
For institutional investors and developers, the further unlocking of DER aggregation models within regulated utility frameworks illuminates pathways for both grid service revenues and long-term investment in electrification infrastructure. The inclusion of V2G-capable assets within the incentive structures of ConnectedSolutions provides a template that could be emulated by other Northeast utilities and beyond.
Program expansion also emphasizes the operational readiness of grid-facing V2G technology. While V2G technical standards have evolved over recent years, few US markets have moved to actively include these assets at scale in utility demand response programs until now.
How vehicle-to-grid enrollment works
Under the newly announced program parameters, Massachusetts customers with V2G-enabled EVs can register their vehicles for ConnectedSolutions participation. During periods of grid stress or peak pricing, enrolled EVs will dispatch stored electricity back to the grid, reducing demand on central generators and mitigating grid congestion.
Enrollment is expected to follow established ConnectedSolutions protocols, meaning that EV owners will receive compensation for providing grid support, similar to participants with residential batteries or smart HVAC controls. Financial incentives are typically structured around the volume and frequency of load shed or energy export.
This V2G participation model is enabled by advances in two-way EV charging, the communication infrastructure between vehicles and utilities, and utility IT platforms capable of orchestrating hundreds or thousands of assets in aggregate. As a result, EV batteries function as both mobility solutions and temporary grid storage resources under operator direction.
ConnectedSolutions’ test of V2G also serves as a proof of concept for wider adoption within ISO New England and could inform future regional market rules for VPP resource aggregation and settlement. The Massachusetts frameworks for distributed energy compensation and grid service delivery will be closely monitored by regional peers.
Regulatory and market context in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has positioned itself as a leader in distributed energy resource integration, with demand response and DER aggregations actively shaped by state policy and regulatory supports. The expansion to V2G is consistent with ongoing state goals to increase grid resilience, reduce reliance on peaking fossil generation, and accelerate decarbonization.
By authorizing V2G participation, state regulators and utilities are recognizing both the technical readiness and the scale of potential in the nascent EV storage sector. Massachusetts continues to foster pilot and permanent pathways for DER participation in both retail utility programs and ISO-level capacity markets.
For market participants, this creates additional monetization channels for existing and planned V2G assets and reinforces the value of interoperability and open communication protocols for DER manufacturers and aggregators. Policy watchers will note that lessons learned from Massachusetts could inform future program designs in neighboring states exploring their own VPP and distributed storage strategies.
Inclusion of V2G comes as demand response programs are seeing wider participation, with increasing focus on winter and summer peak periods, and as grid operators re-think reliability needs amid rapid electrification and renewable integration.
Implications for grid reliability and resource planning
The integration of V2G-capable EVs is projected to enhance system reliability by adding flexible, dispatchable storage capacity during stress events. During demand spikes, such as heat waves or cold snaps, the utilities will be able to call upon a distributed fleet of EVs to inject power, reduce peak loads, and defer the need for costly peaking plants or grid upgrades.
Even modest initial enrollment could enable substantial demand reduction given the size of EV batteries compared to traditional home storage units. As the number of EVs rises in Massachusetts and New England more broadly, the grid-accessible resource pool will correspondingly expand.
Analysts argue that V2G will need to be coordinated alongside other DERs, such as stationary batteries and flexible load programs, to maximize system benefits and minimize operational complexity. Cybersecurity, customer acceptance, and charger technical compatibility remain important issues for utilities to resolve as participation scales.
Utilities and system planners are likely to monitor effects on grid congestion, wholesale energy prices, and local feeder reliability as these programs launch and mature. Data from Massachusetts may guide standards and integration priorities for utilities seeking to replicate V2G offerings in other regulated or competitive markets.
Potential for program replication and regional scaling
The Massachusetts experience with utility-integrated V2G may serve as a case study for other states aiming to advance distributed resource aggregation, particularly in the context of growing electrification and grid modernization targets. Program results and operational data will help define best practices for interoperability, metering, settlement, and participant compensation.
While the program’s immediate impact will be localized, it establishes a regulatory and operational precedent, demonstrating the feasibility of linking mobile storage to utility demand response frameworks. Regional ISOs, policy makers, and grid service providers are expected to track enrollment rates, achieved peak reductions, and customer engagement closely.
For investors and commercial fleet operators in the Northeast, the initiative presents both a near-term opportunity to access grid service value streams and a longer-term signal of regulatory openness to advanced DER business models. The framework piloted in Massachusetts could inform future rate design, distribution system planning, and VPP market entry standards.
Strategic alignment between utilities, DER aggregators, EV OEMs, and technology vendors will be required to scale the model, ensure interoperability, and deliver grid services at the scale needed for meaningful system impact.
What this means for buyers
The inclusion of V2G in Massachusetts’ ConnectedSolutions program marks an inflection point for distributed storage and demand response aggregation. Buyers, developers, and institutional investors evaluating flexible resource portfolios in the Northeast should monitor potential for distributed assets to unlock new revenue streams within regulated grid programs. This pilot highlights the increasing viability of V2G business models, establishes a regional regulatory precedent, and may soon affect procurement and siting strategies for both EV infrastructure and virtual power plants statewide. The market will be watching closely for performance data and further utility rollouts over the next year.
