⚠️ Program details change frequently. Enrollment amounts, event rules, and utility participation vary by region and program year. Verify current figures with your specific utility before enrolling.

You can get paid, in real bill credits, by enrolling a qualifying smart thermostat in your utility’s demand-response program. The amounts aren’t life-changing, but $25–$100 just to sign up, plus $20–$100 per year to stay enrolled, adds up over time, and the programs expand every year. This guide focuses on US programs; Canadian options are noted where relevant.

What Demand Response Is

During peak demand periods, hot summer afternoons when everyone runs air conditioning at once, the electric grid gets stressed. Utilities manage this with a temporary adjustment to the temperature setting on enrolled smart thermostats, by 2–4°F for 2–4 hours in most cases.

You’ve agreed to this in exchange for financial incentives. You can override the adjustment at any time (with a button tap or in the app). Most programs allow you to set a comfort limit below which they won’t push your thermostat.

The utility saves money by avoiding expensive peak-period power purchases. You get a credit on your bill. The thermostat makes this automatic. You don’t have to do anything on event days.

The Four Ways You Earn

Incentive Type Amount (typical) When you get it
Enrollment bonus $25–$100 One-time, when you register a qualifying thermostat
Annual credit $20–$100 Each year you stay enrolled and participate
Instant in-store discount $25–$100 At point of purchase (select programs)
Free thermostat Full device value Some utilities provide a free qualifying thermostat

Not every program offers all four. Many offer just the annual credit without an enrollment bonus. The best programs (like the TVA EnergyRight marketplace) have offered enrollment bonuses over $100 for specific models.

How Much You Can Actually Make

For a homeowner who stays enrolled for 5 years:
– Enrollment bonus: $50 (one-time)
– Annual credits: $40/year × 5 = $200
– Total: $250 over 5 years

For a program that offers only an annual credit:
– Annual credits: $25/year × 5 = $125

These numbers vary by program. Some utilities in the Northeast US pay much more; others pay $20/year and call it done.

The financial case for demand-response enrollment is straightforward. If you already have a qualifying thermostat and your utility has a program, enrollment takes about 15 minutes and generates ongoing passive income.

Major US Demand Response Programs

Program Region Key Feature
ConnectedSolutions Northeast (MA, RI, CT, NY) Seasonal credits per event; $75–$170/season
TVA EnergyRight Tennessee Valley (TN, AL, MS, KY, GA, VA, NC) Enrollment rebate on qualifying thermostat purchase
Nest Rush Hour Rewards Nationwide (where utility partners exist) Automatic credits via Google/Nest
ecobee eco+ Utility Programs Nationwide (participating utilities) Integrates with ecobee app; automatic enrollment
Honeywell / Resideo Utility Savings Nationwide (participating utilities) Program varies by utility
PSE Flex Washington state Includes line-voltage / baseboard thermostats
SCE Smart Energy / PG&E / SDG&E California Multiple programs per utility
ConEd BYOT New York City area Bring Your Own Thermostat enrollment

Which Thermostats Are Eligible

Most demand-response programs require a smart thermostat with Wi-Fi connectivity and the ability for the utility to communicate adjustments through the thermostat’s cloud platform. The qualifying model lists vary by program.

Commonly eligible across most programs:
– ecobee Premium / Enhanced
– Google Nest Learning Thermostat / Nest Thermostat
– Honeywell Home T9 / T10 / Sensi

Less commonly eligible (check your specific program):
– Amazon Smart Thermostat
– Mysa V2 (PSE Flex in Washington is one of the few programs that explicitly includes line-voltage thermostats)

Demand-response eligible thermostats: model, programs supported, enrollment process

ConnectedSolutions (Northeast US)

ConnectedSolutions is the largest demand-response program in the Northeast, run by utilities including National Grid, Eversource, and others across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York.

What it pays: Seasonal credits of $75–$170 per season, depending on participation (how many events you experience and don’t override). The more events, the higher the credit.

How it works:
– Enroll your smart thermostat through the ConnectedSolutions portal or your thermostat’s app
– On peak demand days (10–20 events per summer, typically), the utility adjusts your AC setpoint up by 2–4°F for a few hours at a time
– You can override at any time
– Credits appear on your utility bill after the season

Qualifying thermostats: ecobee, Nest, Honeywell, and others. Check your specific utility’s list.

See ConnectedSolutions Explained (Northeast Thermostat Rewards) for the full program breakdown.

TVA EnergyRight (Tennessee Valley)

TVA’s EnergyRight Smart Thermostat Marketplace offers enrollment incentives for homeowners served by TVA-affiliated local power companies across Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina.

What it offers: Historically, the marketplace has offered rebates of $50–$150 on qualifying thermostat purchases combined with demand-response enrollment. Verify current amounts at the EnergyRight portal.

Coverage area: You must be served by a TVA-affiliated local power company. Check the TVA website for participating utilities.

See TVA EnergyRight Smart Thermostat Rewards: Full Guide for the full breakdown.

Nest Rush Hour Rewards

Google’s Rush Hour Rewards program connects Nest thermostats directly to participating utility demand-response programs. When your utility has a peak demand event, Google adjusts your Nest thermostat and you receive a credit.

Enrollment: Done through the Nest app or Google Home. If your utility participates, you’ll see an enrollment option in the Energy settings.

What it pays: Varies by utility, from $20 to $100+ per season depending on the program.

See Nest Rush Hour Rewards: Which Utilities & How Much for participating utilities and typical payouts.

ecobee Utility Programs & eco+

ecobee’s eco+ feature integrates with utility demand-response programs on its own. When enrolled, ecobee participates in demand events without requiring separate utility app setup; everything runs through the ecobee app.

Participating programs include ConnectedSolutions, various BYOT programs, and utility-specific programs in states including Illinois (ComEd), Wisconsin (Focus on Energy areas), and others.

Enrollment in most programs happens through the ecobee app under Energy → Utility Programs.

Bring Your Own Thermostat (BYOT)

Many utilities offer BYOT programs specifically for customers who already own a smart thermostat. Rather than providing a free device, the utility pays an enrollment credit when you link your existing thermostat to their demand-response platform.

BYOT programs are common in the Northeast US and parts of the Midwest. The typical structure: sign up online, link your thermostat account to your utility account, and receive a credit within 30–60 days.

See Bring Your Own Thermostat (BYOT): How Utility Rewards Work for the full BYOT guide.

Is Demand Response Worth It?

For the vast majority of enrolled customers: yes.

The discomfort from a demand event is minimal: a 2–4°F adjustment for a few hours, a handful of times per summer. The override option means you’re never locked in. And the credits are automatic; you don’t have to do anything on event days.

The main objections:
– Privacy: The utility can see and temporarily adjust your thermostat setting. They cannot access other home data. You can disenroll at any time.
– Comfort: You can override events. If you’re home during an event and uncomfortable, press override. Your credits for that event may be reduced, but most programs don’t penalize a reasonable number of overrides.

See Smart Thermostat Privacy: What Utilities Can Access for a detailed breakdown of what demand-response enrollment actually shares.

How to Find Your Program

The fastest approach:
1. Go to your utility’s website and search “smart thermostat program” or “demand response”
2. If you don’t see one, search for your utility on the DSIRE database (dsireusa.org)
3. Check whether your thermostat brand has a built-in program finder (ecobee and Nest both have utility program directories in their apps)

Frequently Asked Questions

Does demand response affect my comfort significantly?
For most participants, no. A 2–4°F adjustment for 2–4 hours, 10–20 times per summer, is rarely noticeable, especially in a well-insulated home. You can override at any time.

Can I enroll in demand response AND claim a purchase rebate?
Yes, in most cases. A one-time purchase rebate and an ongoing demand-response enrollment are separate programs and can be stacked in most cases. Verify with your specific programs.

What if my utility doesn’t have a demand response program?
Not all utilities offer them. Programs are more common in the Northeast US, California, and parts of the Midwest. Check your utility’s website and the DSIRE database. Demand-response programs continue to expand; if your utility doesn’t have one now, it may in the next 1–2 years.

Do Canadian utilities offer demand-response programs for smart thermostats?
Some do. Hydro-Québec’s Hilo platform and some Ontario utility programs have demand-response components. Canadian DR programs for thermostats are less developed than US programs overall, but expanding. Check with your provincial utility.

Which thermostat is best for demand response participation?
ecobee integrates with the widest range of utility programs through eco+. Nest’s Rush Hour Rewards covers many utilities as well. For ConnectedSolutions in the Northeast, either ecobee or Nest works well.

What’s the difference between a rebate and a demand response credit?
A purchase rebate is a one-time payment after buying the thermostat. A demand-response credit is ongoing: you earn it each year (or each season) by staying enrolled and participating in events. They are separate programs and can both apply to the same thermostat.