Tesla Electric customers in Texas have reported earnings of as much as $150 a day by selling electricity back to the grid, taking advantage of the recent heatwaves. The program, which operates as a virtual power plant (VPP), now harnesses over 6 MW of power. Tesla Electric, launched late last year, automatically buys and sells electricity for Tesla Powerwall owners, providing a buffer against peak prices. This move is effectively transitioning Tesla into an energy retailer.

The service is currently limited to Powerwall owners in Texas but the company plans to expand its reach. It is being tested through the Aggregate Distributed Energy Resource (ADER) Pilot Project and has demonstrated substantial success during the summer heatwaves. Even though 6 MW of power capacity doesn’t sound significant, it can potentially prevent brownouts in the Texas electricity market.

The Tesla Electric interface provides real-time data on earnings from the system to homeowners, thereby giving them the feel of running their own micro-electric utility. The prerequisite for this service is owning some solar power and Tesla Powerwalls.