Sunrun’s Distributed Power Plant Capacity Surpasses 650 Megawatts, Ready to Support Grid Reliability Ahead of Summer Heat and Hurricanes

Rhea-AI Summary

Sunrun (RUN), America's leading residential clean energy provider, has announced the activation of over 130,000 home batteries for grid support this summer, representing two-thirds of its total battery fleet. The company can dispatch 650 megawatts of peak power, equivalent to powering 480,000 homes. With a storage attachment rate reaching 70% for new solar customers in Q1, Sunrun has become one of the top 5 energy storage operators nationwide, with nearly 1 gigawatt of total battery capacity. The company operates 17 dispatchable power plant programs across multiple states, including Texas, Arizona, California, New York, and Puerto Rico, where it has already provided critical grid support during peak demand periods. Sunrun's subscription model and rapid deployment capabilities position it strategically to address America's growing energy demands, particularly from manufacturing, data centers, and AI.

Positive

• Operates 650 megawatts of peak power capacity, enough to power 480,000 homes
• Achieved 70% storage attachment rate for new solar customers in Q1
• Controls nearly 1 gigawatt of total battery capacity, equivalent to a nuclear power plant
• Successfully provided grid support across multiple states during critical periods
• Represents approximately 50% of all new home battery installations in the US

Negative

• None.

Insights

Energy Infrastructure Analyst

Sunrun is emerging as a major distributed energy resource operator with 650MW of dispatchable battery capacity that's actively supporting grid stability nationwide.

Sunrun's announcement reveals the company has achieved significant scale in its battery storage business, with over 650 megawatts of peak power capacity that can be dispatched to support grid reliability across multiple states. The 130,000+ activated home batteries represent over two-thirds of Sunrun's total battery fleet, positioning the company among the top five energy storage operators nationwide with nearly a gigawatt of total battery capacity installed.

What's particularly notable is Sunrun's storage attachment rate reaching nearly 70% in Q1, indicating strong customer adoption of integrated solar+storage solutions. This transition from pure solar installations to battery-paired systems significantly enhances the company's value proposition and recurring revenue potential, as battery systems generate higher margins and create multiple revenue streams through grid services programs.

The company has demonstrated real-world grid support capabilities in five key markets (Texas, Arizona, California, New York, and Puerto Rico), dispatching hundreds of megawatts during critical periods. This operational track record validates Sunrun's virtual power plant model and positions the company to capture additional revenue through utility partnerships.

The 48E investment tax credit mentioned is crucial as it makes these distributed energy resources economically viable. Sunrun's subscription model creates a dual revenue stream: customer payments plus grid service revenues from utilities. This enhances the company's economics while providing essential grid support services that are increasingly valuable as extreme weather events and demand growth strain traditional grid infrastructure.

Sunrun is the largest residential energy generating company in America, using batteries paired with solar to improve grid reliability and provide backup power during outages

SAN FRANCISCO, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunrun (Nasdaq: RUN), the nation’s leading provider of clean energy as a subscription service, today announced that it is activating more than 130,000 home batteries, representing over two-thirds of Sunrun’s total battery fleet, to support America’s power grid this summer. In its grid service programs, Sunrun has the capability of dispatching 650 megawatts of peak power—enough to power 480,000 homes, or a city the size of Austin, Texas—at critical times every day to help meet America’s skyrocketing demand for electricity.

“America is entering a period of insatiable, hockey-stick energy demand driven by manufacturing, data centers, and AI,” said Sunrun CEO Mary Powell. “Sunrun’s laser focus on pairing storage with solar puts us in a position to rapidly bring new generating capacity online to stabilize the grid and help lead the nation toward energy independence.”

Sunrun’s storage-first strategy has placed the company among the top five energy storage operators nationwide, with nearly a gigawatt of total battery capacity installed—the equivalent of a nuclear power plant’s worth of peak power. Sunrun is the largest distributed battery power plant provider and operator in the world. In the first quarter of this year, Sunrun’s storage attachment rate surged to nearly 70% of new solar customers. The company accounts for roughly half of all new home battery installations in the country.

Sunrun’s dispatchable power plants recently provided hundreds of megawatts of peak power to the grid in several states:

• Texas: Sunrun dispatched essential energy during unseasonably hot temperatures, providing cost control to all customers of two retail electricity providers.
• Arizona: Arizona Public Service called on Sunrun for three consecutive days to dispatch essential energy during unseasonably hot temperatures.
• California: Sunrun’s statewide residential battery power plant dispatched an average of more than 300 megawatts during a recent two-hour peak load window.
• New York: Orange and Rockland Utilities activated Sunrun’s residential battery power plant—the largest in the state—several times so far this year to relieve grid stress.
• Puerto Rico: In response to capacity shortfalls from centralized power plants, the island’s utility provider, LUMA, asked Sunrun to dispatch stored solar energy during 26 emergency power events since January.
  

As the U.S. prepares for energy demand spikes and rising temperatures, utilities and grid operators are actively planning future battery dispatches to help stabilize the grid and improve reliability. Notably, Orange and Rockland and LUMA have already asked Sunrun to prepare emergency dispatches as both service areas brace for unusually high temperatures.

In partnership with electric utilities across the country, Sunrun operates 17 dispatchable power plant programs that improve reliability and help prevent blackouts. With the unique ability to deploy utility-scale battery capacity within months, Sunrun delivers critical grid services with unmatched speed. These programs also help utilities avoid or defer transmission and distribution investments, saving money for all families connected to the grid.

Sunrun’s subscription model is key to its ability to aggregate, manage, and dispatch hundreds of thousands of home batteries to improve grid reliability. The 48E investment tax credit enables the construction of this grid infrastructure to quickly address America’s looming electricity supply crisis.

About Sunrun
Sunrun Inc. (Nasdaq: RUN) revolutionized the solar industry in 2007 by removing financial barriers and democratizing access to locally-generated, renewable energy. Today, Sunrun is the nation’s leading provider of clean energy as a subscription service, offering residential solar and storage with no upfront costs. Sunrun’s innovative products and solutions can connect homes to the cleanest energy on earth, providing them with energy security, predictability, and peace of mind. Sunrun also manages energy services that benefit communities, utilities, and the electric grid while enhancing customer value. Discover more at www.sunrun.com

Media Contact
Wyatt Semanek
Director, Corporate Communications
press@sunrun.com

Investor & Analyst Contact
Patrick Jobin
SVP, Deputy CFO & Investor Relations Officer
investors@sunrun.com

FAQ

What is Sunrun's (RUN) current battery power capacity in 2025?

Sunrun can dispatch 650 megawatts of peak power through its battery fleet, with nearly 1 gigawatt of total battery capacity installed.

How many home batteries does Sunrun (RUN) have activated for summer 2025?

Sunrun has activated more than 130,000 home batteries, representing over two-thirds of its total battery fleet.

What percentage of Sunrun's new solar customers opted for battery storage in Q1 2025?

Sunrun's storage attachment rate reached nearly 70% of new solar customers in the first quarter of 2025.

How many states does Sunrun (RUN) operate its dispatchable power plant programs in?

Sunrun operates 17 dispatchable power plant programs across multiple states, including Texas, Arizona, California, New York, and Puerto Rico.

What is Sunrun's market share in home battery installations?

Sunrun accounts for approximately half of all new home battery installations in the country.