Pilot program will install batteries in 2,000 Mass. homes to reduce energy demand on the grid

Picture this: It’s a cold January morning in 2050. People across New England are waking up and cranking their electric heat pumps. They’re also turning on lights, brewing coffee and taking hot showers, all while the millions of electric vehicles in the region are finishing up their overnight charge.

By mid-century, as more people electrify their home heating systems and vehicles, the region’s peak demand could be as high as 50 gigawatts on cold winter mornings. That’s about double today’s peak use, which currently occurs on hot summer days when New Englanders blast their air conditioning units.