Thermostat maker Zen Ecosystems is partnering with battery company Swell Energy with a novel offering. Because a thermostat may have the potential to pay for itself rapidly in certain conditions, it is an appealing item to bundle with a battery which would generally be prohibitively expensive by itself for home applications. This, in turn, may allow homeowners to more actively participate in utility demand response programs, exercise greater control of their energy consumption, and take advantage of different rate structures in the future. Though still unproven, this is an interesting model that could yield benefits for customers and utilities alike if these or other companies can deliver.
https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/new-pairing-energy-storage-smart-thermostats-zen-ecosystems-swell