Batteries Plus and Swell Energy Increase Access to Home Batteries and Virtual Power Plant Technology in Sacramento, California

• Program gives local residents the opportunity to harness the power of solar energy, home batteries and Swell grid services to benefit themselves, the community and the grid
• Home battery offer available at multiple Batteries Plus locations in the Sacramento region, with SMUD offering ongoing compensation to participating customers

[SACRAMENTO, CA – July 24, 2023] – Batteries Plus, the world’s leading specialty battery franchise, today announced a new pilot initiative with Swell Energy (Swell), a leading renewable energy and grid solutions provider, to launch an in-store home battery backup offer in Sacramento, California. This joint initiative will showcase residential battery solutions and Swell’s virtual power plant (VPP) capabilities at four Sacramento area Batteries Plus retail locations, providing customers with convenient in-person opportunities to learn more about powering their homes with solar and home batteries, and VPP programs designed to save them money on their utility bills.

As a franchise and family-owned Sacramento business, the participating Batteries Plus stores are committed to increasing access to renewable energy and home battery solutions for local residents and communities. Eligible customers will have the opportunity to enroll in the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)’s new My Energy Optimizer Partner+ program – a residential customer-driven VPP initiative that SMUD and Swell are developing. This program will help deliver on SMUD’s comprehensive 2030 Zero Carbon Plan to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions from its power supply by 2030, the boldest carbon reduction goal of any large utility in the United States.

Through VPP technology, customers’ solar and battery storage systems are aggregated and this renewable energy can be dispatched to communities, resulting in a more renewable and resilient electric grid.

"Providing Sacramento homeowners with the resources and expertise they need to enhance energy resilience is at the heart of our mission," said Ryan Tollefson, owner of the Batteries Plus franchises in Sacramento, whose father first opened their first store in Citrus Heights, CA in 1996 and which has since expanded with Tollefson owning and operating multiple stores. "We're thrilled to play a key role in promoting the adoption of home battery storage and virtual power plant participation while also bolstering Sacramento's skilled workforce of local solar and storage installers and contributing to our community's sustainable growth."

The participating Batteries Plus stores are long-standing pillars in the Sacramento community. In addition to providing consumers with energy solutions, this initiative will also power up the local economy – driving jobs for local solar and storage installation experts across the Sacramento market.

“Green energy solutions empower consumers to take charge of their own home energy management,” said Kirtis Hill, Chief Growth Officer for Batteries Plus. “For more than 30 years, Batteries Plus has been America’s battery destination and we are excited to expand our expertise and continue to show consumers we are their trusted source for all their battery solutions.”

The popularity of home battery systems has skyrocketed in recent years, especially in California markets which are prone to wildfires, heat waves and other natural disasters that can impact the power grid. These batteries allow consumers to generate, store and share energy, enhancing energy security during critical times.

"We're excited to partner with Batteries Plus on an in-store model that offers home battery solutions and Swell's virtual power plant capabilities to homeowners," said Suleman Khan, CEO of Swell Energy. "Our collaboration enables a wider audience to unlock their homes' energy potential through solar and energy storage by extending VPP opportunities that enhance value for both utilities and consumers. Through this partnership, Batteries Plus and Swell are expanding the reach of transformative home energy solutions and providing homeowners greater access to sustainable and cost-effective energy alternatives."

Considered a valuable resource for the power grid, VPPs aggregate residential solar and battery storage systems in a centralized manner to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality. Participating in VPP programs enables customers to receive ongoing compensation, or GridRevenue™, based on the capacity of their solar and energy storage systems.

ABOUT BATTERIES PLUS:

Batteries Plus, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Hartland, WI, is a leading omnichannel retailer of batteries, specialty light bulbs and phone repair services for the direct-to-consumer and commercial channels. The retailer also offers key programming, replacement and cutting services. Through a nationwide network of stores, the company offers a differentiated value proposition of unrivaled product selection, in-stock availability and customer service. Batteries Plus is owned by Freeman Spogli, a private equity firm based in Los Angeles and New York City. For more information on Batteries Plus’ products and services and to find the nearest Batteries Plus retail store near you, please visit https://www.batteriesplus.com.

ABOUT SWELL ENERGY INC:

Swell Energy is creating a greater grid for the greater good. The energy management and smart grid solutions provider is accelerating the mass adoption of distributed clean energy technologies by enabling consumers to take control of their energy use and cost, achieve energy security, and participate in the transactive grid. Swell Energy provides homeowners and businesses with financing and virtual power plant programs while partnering with trusted local solar and solar+storage companies for seamless, high-quality installations. By creating a critical mass of dynamic and responsive clean energy resources within utility service areas across the United States, Swell Energy also delivers resilient virtual power plant networks and grid balancing services to utilities, which are fundamental to our future, carbon-free, distributed renewable energy system. For more information, visit www.swellenergy.com and follow the company on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media contacts:

Julianne Stevenson - Batteries Plus: jstevenson@fishmanpr.com or 224-558-2510

Jake Wengroff - Swell Energy: swell@technica.inc or (408) 806-9626 ext. 6816