Glossary
A quick reference for the terminology you’ll encounter in Grid Getter and on your utility bill.
Automation A rule in Grid Getter that triggers an action on your Tesla system at a specific time or in response to energy conditions. Grid Getter has three automation types: Custom Schedule, Peak Time, and DemandGuard.
Battery Reserve The minimum state of charge (percentage) you want to keep in your Powerwall. Grid Getter can automatically raise or lower your battery reserve as part of an automation — for example, reserving 30% during demand periods so your battery is available to offset grid draw.
Battery Reserve Start / End Some automations let you ramp the battery reserve over time. The “start” reserve takes effect when the automation begins; the “end” reserve takes effect at the end of the time window.
Custom Schedule A Grid Getter automation type that runs on a fixed schedule. You define exactly when it triggers, which days and months it applies to, and what it does — set a specific operational mode or storm watch state. See Custom Schedule.
Demand Charge A fee some commercial and utility customers pay based on their highest 15- or 30-minute average power draw during a billing period, not just total energy consumed. A single peak of high usage can significantly increase your bill for the entire month.
Demand Guard / DemandGuard Grid Getter’s real-time demand monitoring system. It watches your grid draw every minute and switches your home to battery power before you exceed a configured kW threshold — protecting you from demand charge spikes. Requires the DemandGuard plan tier. See DemandGuard.
Demand Interval The time window your utility uses to calculate demand — typically 15 or 30 minutes. Your peak demand for the billing period is usually the highest average draw across any single interval.
Demand Period A specific time range during which demand charges apply. DemandGuard monitors these periods and acts to prevent you from exceeding your target during them.
Energy Mode / Operational Mode The operating mode of your Tesla Powerwall. Common modes include:
- Autonomous — the Powerwall manages charge and discharge automatically
- Self-Consumption — the Powerwall prioritizes using solar and battery before drawing from the grid
Grid Getter automations can switch your Powerwall between these modes on a schedule.
Export Sending electricity from your solar panels or battery back to the grid. Grid Getter can configure how your system handles surplus solar generation.
Grid Draw The amount of power (in kilowatts) your home is currently pulling from the electrical grid. DemandGuard watches this value to prevent demand charge spikes.
Grid Import / Grid Export
- Import: Drawing power from the grid (you pay for this)
- Export: Sending power to the grid (you may receive a credit, depending on your utility)
kW (kilowatt) A unit of power — how fast energy is being used or generated at a given moment. Your utility’s demand charges are usually based on your peak kW draw.
kWh (kilowatt-hour) A unit of energy — the total amount of energy used over time. 1 kWh = using 1 kW for one hour. Your electricity bill’s consumption charges are based on kWh.
Peak Time Automation A Grid Getter automation that adjusts your battery reserve during your utility’s high-cost time-of-use periods. Useful for rate schedules where grid electricity is more expensive during certain hours. See Peak Time.
Powerwall Tesla’s home battery storage system. Grid Getter connects to your Powerwall to read its state and send commands.
QPM (Queries Per Minute) In DemandGuard automations, this controls how often Grid Getter checks your live energy data during a demand period. Higher values give faster response but use more API calls. 1 query per minute is recommended for most users.
Self-Consumption Mode An operational mode where your Tesla system prioritizes using locally generated solar power and stored battery energy before drawing from the grid.
Site A single physical location with a Tesla energy system connected to your Grid Getter account. Most users have one site (their home). Each site has its own set of automations and settings.
Storm Watch A Tesla feature that automatically charges your Powerwall to 100% when a severe weather event is forecast in your area. Grid Getter automations can optionally pause or override Storm Watch behavior.
Surplus Generation Electricity produced by your solar panels beyond what your home is currently consuming. Grid Getter lets you configure whether surplus goes to the grid (export) or charges your battery.
Target Demand (kW) The DemandGuard threshold you configure. When your grid draw approaches or exceeds this value during a demand period, DemandGuard switches your home to battery power to stay under the limit.
Tesla OAuth The authorization process that allows Grid Getter to connect to your Tesla account securely. You log in to Tesla’s website directly — your Tesla password is never shared with Grid Getter.
Time-of-Use (TOU) A rate structure where electricity costs vary by time of day. Peak hours (usually evenings and weekdays) cost more than off-peak hours. Grid Getter’s Peak Time automation is designed for TOU rate plans.
Utility Demand Period The time window during which your utility measures demand for billing purposes. Common periods include weekday afternoons (4–9 PM) or the full business day. DemandGuard monitors these periods in real time.