A groundbreaking new Virtual Power Plant Power Purchase Agreement (VPA) provides Texans with solar panels and two 20 kWh sonnen batteries at no upfront cost.

A new sonnen storage + solar VPP for Texans

SOLRITE Energy, which finances solar and battery storage, and global battery storage manufacturer sonnen today announced the launch of their new VPA in Texas’s ERCOT market. This program offers solar and battery storage for homeowners at an affordable monthly rate, making backup power accessible for many Texans.

Here’s how it works: SOLRITE installs solar panels and sonnen batteries at eligible customer households with no upfront cost. (I’ve asked the sonnen spokesperson what the eligibility criteria are and will update this post when I hear back.) Homeowners then pay a lower-than-average rate for the solar energy they produce each month, saving them money compared to typical electricity rates in Texas.

Texans participating in the SOLRITE program pay a leading rate of 12¢ per kWh for solar energy, significantly lower than the 19-20¢ per kWh rate commonly seen in the state.

The sonnen batteries provide backup power for each home at no charge and enable Texan homeowners to join a larger virtual power plant (VPP) network. The VPP supports the Texas grid, reducing reliance on polluting power plants during times of high demand. SOLRITE and sonnen generate revenue from the energy stored in these batteries, which helps cover the cost of the equipment, and that’s what allows homeowners to use the battery systems at no cost. 

Each day, the sonnen batteries in the VPP help balance the Texas grid by directing power where it’s needed most and when it’s most valuable. This reduces energy costs for everyone, whether they’re in the VPP or not, and strengthens the grid’s efficiency and resilience.

The VPP also differs from traditional solar buyback programs that send extra energy to the grid whenever it’s sunny. Instead, the sonnen battery network strategically controls when and how energy is shared with the ERCOT grid, making solar energy a more reliable power source.

Since September 2024, SOLRITE says it’s already committed over 40 megawatt-hours of residential battery power to the Texas market through this program, working with solar installers statewide.

Blake Richetta, chairman and CEO of sonnen Inc. USA said:

The bold and inventive SOLRITE introduction in the Texas market represents the most successful early-stage launch of the sonnenConnect VPP in the world.

sonnen is proud to dispatch authentic VPPs across the United States and Australia, as well as the largest behind-the-meter residential battery based VPP in the European Union – with nerve centers in Germany, Italy and Belgium, amongst other countries.

And in all of these markets, we have never seen anything like the SOLRITE Texas launch. We are so proud of the SOLRITE invention, and we are passionate to build a SOLRITE-Future for Texas.

Electrek’s Take

I belong to a virtual power plant in Vermont and have two Tesla Powerwalls, and I love being part of this program. I lease my Powerwalls for $55 a month and had to pay a couple thousand dollars to have them installed, so what sonnen and SOLRITE are offering to Texans is a really good deal.

Read more: This big battery storage project will boost San Antonio’s grid

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Tesla announced on X that it is working on a new way to keep the cameras clean on the Cybertruck.

Hopefully, it will make its way to other Tesla vehicles because it is a common problem with the performance of its advanced driver assist systems (ADAS).

When driving using Tesla’s Autopilot or Full Self-Driving (Supervised) suite of driver-assist features, you will often get an alert that the system might not work properly because “one or more cameras are obstructed” due to dirt or snow coming off the road and into the lenses.

For Cybertruck, that’s an even problem because the rear-view camera is the only way to look behind the vehicle when the tonneau cover is up.

It led to some owners complaining that they need to remember to clean the camera at the back of the truck almost every time they use it, especially in the winter.

Tesla responded to some of those comments through its ‘Tesla AI’ account on X. One owner specifically asked if Tesla is planning a solution for when it achieves “unsupervised self-driving” because it then can’t expect someone to always be able to clean the cameras and Tesla responded:

On a more serious note, a more comprehensive cleaning solution is being worked on.

Tesla didn’t elaborate on the solution or when it would be available.

Back in 2019, we reported on Tesla applying for a patent on technology “to use laser beams to clean debris off its cars automatically.” It mused that it could be used to clean cameras, but nothing came out of the patent application.

Tesla says that it plans to achieve unsupervised self-driving capability in California and Texas around Q2 2025, but the latest data makes this sound extremely unlikely, to say the least.

Electrek’s Take

I doubt that it will be lasers, though it would be cool, but there’s undoubtedly a need for a solution.

In my own experience with FSD in the Quebec winter, I get alerts of obstructed cameras literally every other drive.

Tesla has already implemented heaters, which help some, but other than the front-facing cameras, which benefit from the windshield wipers, there’s a need for more.

What’s interesting here is Tesla basically admits that for unsupervised self-driving, which was part of the question it answered, it needs to add extra hardware to make it work.

Buy or lease the new 2025 IONIQ 5, and Hyundai will give you a free ChargePoint Level 2 EV charger. Or, you can choose a $400 charging credit. That’s a pretty sweet deal, with leases starting as low as $199 per month. Here’s how you can snag the offer.

2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 now comes with a free EV charger

Last September, Hyundai introduced the program, offering a free ChargePoint L2 Home Flex Charger for new IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, and Kona Electric customers.

After a positive response, the company expanded the program through the end of 2024. Now, Hyundai is offering a free EV charger promo for those who buy or lease the new 2025 IONIQ 5.

Hyundai unveiled the 2025 IONIQ in September. It now has more range, a sleek new design, and it even comes with an NACS port for charging at Tesla Superchargers. Hyundai wants to make it even easier for you to go electric by offering a free home charger.

Starting January 1, 2025, you can receive a free home charger if you purchase or lease a new 2025 IONIQ 5. If you already have a home charger, you can opt for a $400 credit to use at public ChargePoint, EVgo, and Shell Recharge chargers.

Hyundai will provide the charger through its Hyundai Home Marketplace and help you schedule installation. If you choose the charging credit, you can redeem it using the ChargePoint mobile app.

You have 60 days from the purchase or lease date to choose the home EV charger or $400 public charging credit. To redeem the offer, you must create a profile on Hyundai Home Marketplace.

After you create a profile, you can redeem the home charger public credit by clicking the “Find Offer” button at the bottom of the page. It will ask you a few questions before you can select the option.

Once you redeem it, Electrum will email you within five business days with a coupon code. Installation costs are not included in the offer.

Hyundai’s 2025 IONIQ 5 starts at $43,975. The longer range model, with up to 318 miles range, starts at $46,550. With the potential $7,500 EV tax credit, prices could drop to under $36,500.

With lease prices starting as low as $199 per month, Hyundai’s new IONIQ 5 is hard to pass up. You can use our link to find deals on the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 at a dealer near you today.