How Networks of Home Batteries are Transforming America’s Power Grid
“Energy has been part of the Tesla DNA since a very, very early date.”
Colby Hastings, Senior Director of Residential Energy, Tesla
In this episode of Good Energy, Colby Hastings, Senior Director of Residential Energy at Tesla, discusses how Tesla’s fleet of residential and utility-scale batteries are contributing to energy affordability and reliability.
Hastings explains the concept of a “virtual power plant,” (VPP) where distributed energy resources, like a multitude of solar installations and residential batteries, are able to join forces and function the same way a centralized power plant does. This function allows assets like Tesla’s Powerwall residential battery to not only provide cost savings to the consumer, but support utilities when the grid is pressed for power as well. Tesla’s VPPs exist in places like California and Puerto Rico, where solar and storage have served as a marginal resource that singlehandedly prevented a blackout.
While Tesla is most well-known for their electric vehicles, Hastings says that energy has been central to the organization since its inception. In addition to its residential and utility-scale energy storage products, Tesla is additionally involved with solar module production and residential solar installation.
Tesla is additionally integrating solar and storage with electric vehicles through a home-energy ecosystem, where residential solar and storage combined with a plug-in electric vehicle and work together to optimize household energy needs.
At RE+ 2025, Tesla announced the released of Megapack 3, a 20 megawatt-hour and pre-assembled battery that allows for large-scale energy storage to be installed quickly in a small amount of space. As America faces a capacity crisis while trying to win the AI race, Hastings envisions the Megapack 3 as a way to quickly meet America’s rising energy needs. By the end of 2027, Tesla expects to have over 100 gigawatt-hours of Megapack manufacturing capacity.
Hastings concludes by discussing some of the additional innovations Tesla is working on, including the vehicle-to-grid capabilities that are allowing households to use their electric vehicle’s battery as backup energy storage for their home.
From in-depth interviews with industry leaders to insightful discussions on the rapid growth of solar and storage in the United States, Good Energy connects you with the heartbeat of the solar industry. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just curious about the future of energy, tune in to stay informed and inspired about the bright future of solar. Listen to full episodes on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
special guest
Colby Hastings
Senior Director of Residential Energy
Tesla
Colby leads Tesla’s Residential Energy business – bringing to market home energy storage and solar inverters. She is one of the Tesla Energy division’s early employees.
Previously, she led sales and operations for Tesla’s stationary storage business globally. In her career at Tesla she has held leadership roles across Business Development / Strategy, Operations, and Product. Prior to Tesla Colby worked as a consultant for BCG in Chicago. She holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University, and an MBA in Finance from Wharton.
Her career has been motivated by a desire to mitigate climate change and transition the world to a sustainable energy future. Colby was drawn to Save the Redwoods seeking to support an environmentally focused organization with tangible local impact to her Northern California community. Her favorite place to be is outside in the woods, especially the redwoods of the Anderson Valley where she and her husband have a cabin. She is excited to be part of an organization that is working to preserve and grow these woods for generations to come.
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