Program Information, Eligibility, and Enrollment
The extreme weather events in Texas emphasized the critical importance of having electricity in your home. As the market leader in backup power generation, Generac’s customers have the opportunity to gain additional value, by getting rewarded for using back up generation to support the resiliency of the grid, at critical times. The Generac Virtual Power Plant Pilot Program helps keep the lights on for all Texas electric customers by reducing load on the grid and providing the capacity the electricity operator, ERCOT, needs during emergency situations.
The program will last from the time of your enrollment through September 2022. If the program is successful, Generac may choose to extend the program, at which point we may offer you an option to continue to participate for additional incentives.
Since we will be running your home backup generator during Energy Events for up to 25 hours during the program, you will see additional propane or natural gas costs on your energy bill. But by participating in the program, Generac is rewarding you with $250 in the form of an eGift card following your successful enrollment into the program, and an additional $250 in the form of an egift card at the end of the program. These incentives should cover the additional costs for natural gas or propane, while also providing you with extra cash!
Immediately prior to an Energy Event, we will turn on your home backup generator. Once we confirm that the generator is working, we will disconnect you from the power grid and your home backup generator will be powering your home. This transition will take place automatically in milliseconds, and you should not notice any changes to your home energy use.
If your home backup generator was installed with relays that turn off the largest electricity demands during the startup of your generator, you may notice a period where your air conditioner, dryer, or electric vehicle charger, for example, turns off momentarily (e.g., for 5 minutes), until the generator can ensure that it will meet all electricity demands. If this occurs, you may notice a power interruption to these large electrical loads during the Energy Event. This is unlikely to occur for customers with the 22 kW Guardian; however, variations can occur depending on your home’s energy uses and the installation procedures used.
The program is available to customers that meet the following conditions:
- Live in Texas in an area served by Electric Reliability Council of Texas (see ERCOT map here).
- Receive retail electricity service from a Retail Electric Provider—customers receiving electric service from a municipal utility or cooperative are not eligible currently.
- Have an installed or soon to be installed Generac Guardian Home Backup Generator (16kW and up, air cooled only).
- Connect your Home Backup Generator through Mobile Link.
- You have not applied or received status as a Chronic Care, Critical Care, or Critical Load designation from your Transmission and Distribution Service Provider.
- You do not operate critical life support equipment at the participating address.
To confirm you are eligible for the program and to operate the program, we need to gather data including your name, address, e-mail address, and retail electric provider. This data will be shared with Generac affiliates and subcontractors for purposes of implementing the program and with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and your Retail Electric Provider. ERCOT operates the electricity market of Texas and uses this data to verify that the program is working properly to help support the power grid. Your data will be protected and will never be sold to other parties. You can read more about how we protect your data in Generac’s privacy policy.
Once we confirm over email that you are enrolled in the program, you do not need to take any action for the rest of the program. We will remotely set-up your home backup generator and manage it during an Energy Event.