{"ok":true,"trend":{"id":421848,"platform":"mastodon","region":"global","key":"vermont replacing power plants with home batteries https://www. bbc.com/future/article/2026092 8-a-virtual-power-plant-h","title":"Vermont replacing power plants with home batteries https://www. bbc.com/future/article/2026092 8-a-virtual-power-plant-h","url":"https://mastodon.social/@h4ckernews/117356924828040666","first_seen":"2026-09-30T00:48:04.846745Z","last_seen":"2026-09-30T02:10:06.210092Z","last_rank":4,"peak_rank":4,"last_volume":2,"peak_volume":2,"seen_count":2,"score":0.565,"category_hint":"energy","section":"environment","category":"energy","summary":"Vermont is running a virtual power plant made up of batteries installed in residents' homes, which are networked together to supply electricity during storms and periods of high demand, reducing the need for new centralized power plants. The scheme is drawing attention as an example of how distributed home energy storage can keep the lights on and reshape grid planning.","why":"The project offers a concrete example of household batteries replacing traditional power infrastructure, a timely idea as grids face extreme weather and rising demand.","tone":"positive","entities":["Vermont","virtual power plant","BBC Future"],"summarized_at":"2026-09-30T00:48:33.139767Z","meta":{"tag":"energy","via":"scan","kind":"status","lang":"en","instance":"mastodon.social","tag_uses":88},"nw":null,"promo":null,"kind":null,"importance":null,"hidden":false,"hide_reason":null,"judged_at":null,"title_en":"Vermont turns home batteries into a virtual power plant","section_name":"Environment","category_name":"Energy","timeline":[{"captured_at":"2026-09-30T00:48:04.846745Z","rank":4,"volume":2},{"captured_at":"2026-09-30T02:10:06.210092Z","rank":4,"volume":2}],"posts":[{"platform":"mastodon","url":"https://mastodon.social/@h4ckernews/117356924828040666","author":"h4ckernews","title":null,"snippet":"Vermont replacing power plants with home batteries https://www. bbc.com/future/article/2026092 8-a-virtual-power-plant-hidden-in-vermont-homes-is-keeping-the-lights-on-during-storms Comments: https:// news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4 9897993 # HackerNews # Vermont # home #…","posted_at":"2026-09-29T23:29:20.981000Z","likes":2}],"elsewhere":[],"window":"7d"}}