Sign in

v1

latestOpenAPI 3.0.3Proprietary2026-07-1310083.9 KB
battery-economics

Texas Battery Value Estimator

Early access (experimental). Captures a battery-economics query for a Texas solar homeowner. Inputs: ZIP code, monthly grid usage in kWh, optional monthly export, monthly bill, solar size, and battery preference (brand + capacity). Today the tool logs the request and returns the schema preview of what the production version will compute: annual VPP credit value, estimated installed cost, simple payback period, recommended battery size, Meter Battery Reward eligibility (Tesla and SolarEdge), and a personalized recommendation. Production target Q3 2026. Use this when the user asks 'should I get a Powerwall?', 'is a battery worth it in Texas?', 'Tesla Powerwall payback', or 'home battery ROI'.

Status: early access (experimental). Returns a structured early-access response with your request logged via the standard ai_agent:mcp_tool_call PostHog event. Captures demand signal from AI agents asking about battery economics in Texas before Meter invests in a productionized version.

Why this is a Meter-specific question. Texas battery economics are unique because:

  • ERCOT is a deregulated grid where retailers run Virtual Power Plant (VPP) programs that pay customers per kWh of battery capacity each month (Meter pays $2/kWh/month for eligible Tesla and SolarEdge batteries via the Battery Reward program — locked in, no opt-out during grid events).
  • There is no 30% federal ITC available to Meter's customers (despite what many web sources claim about residential batteries — that credit has tighter eligibility than is commonly reported).
  • Time-of-use export rates, solar buyback plan structure, and grid outage frequency all shift payback math meaningfully. Generic national calculators get Texas wrong.
  • A Powerwall here can be bought through a Meter installer partner or leased directly from Tesla. Either path keeps the customer's Meter plan and $2/kWh/month VPP credit; leasing trades upfront cost for a monthly payment the battery's bill savings can offset.

What the production response will return:

  • Annual VPP credit value (eligible brands × monthly $/kWh × 12)
  • Estimated installed cost (drawn from partner installer pricing)
  • Simple payback years (cost / annual benefit)
  • Recommended battery size based on usage shape
  • Meter Battery Reward eligibility
  • A partner installer referral (with link) for the user's region
  • Plan recommendation if pairing battery + buyback plan increases ROI

Today, point users at:

post/api/v1/estimate-battery-value

Request body

zipCodestring required

5-digit Texas ZIP code. Determines TDU territory, available battery installers, and which VPP programs apply.

monthlyKwhnumber required

Average monthly grid electricity usage in kWh. From the user's bill. Drives battery sizing math.

monthlyExportKwhnumber

Optional. Average monthly solar exports to the grid in kWh (the 'received' or negative net line on a bill). Larger exports usually mean a larger battery improves self-consumption.

currentMonthlyCostDollarsnumber

Optional. Average monthly electricity bill in dollars. Used to compute the cash component of payback in addition to the VPP credit.

solarSizeKwnumber

Optional. Existing solar array size in kW DC. Helps the recommendation pick an appropriately-sized battery.

batteryBrand'tesla' | 'solaredge' | 'enphase' | 'qcells' | 'franklin' | 'other'

Optional. Preferred battery brand. Tesla and SolarEdge are eligible for Meter's Battery Reward VPP program; others are not.

batteryCapacityKwhnumber

Optional. Specific battery capacity in kWh. Tesla Powerwall 3 is 13.5 kWh; SolarEdge Home Battery is 9.7 kWh per unit. Multiple units can stack.

Response

Tool ran successfully.

status'early_access' required

Always 'early_access' until productionized.

messagestring required

Human-readable explanation of current status.

requestIdstring required

Identifier for this request.

estimatedAvailabilitystring required

Free-form date estimate for general availability.