FAQs

Energy storage is any technology that stores energy produced at one point in time for use later. The most common form of energy storage for homes and businesses is a battery energy storage system, which stores electricity in chemical components and can charge and discharge many times over its lifetime.

Battery storage offers several key benefits: backup power during outages, lower electricity bills through peak-hour optimization, reduced carbon emissions, increased value from your solar panels, and performance-based income through demand response programs like ConnectedSolutions.

A kilowatt (kW) measures power — the rate at which energy is produced or consumed at any given moment. A kilowatt-hour (kWh) measures energy — the total amount of power used over time. A battery rated at 5 kW and 13.5 kWh can discharge at up to 5 kW at any instant and holds enough energy to sustain that output for about 2.7 hours (13.5 ÷ 5 = 2.7). In practice, actual performance varies based on operating conditions and system losses.

No. Battery storage systems can be installed as standalone systems without solar panels. However, pairing storage with solar offers additional benefits, including the ability to store excess solar generation for later use and to recharge your battery during extended power outages.

The ESR Program provides rebates from OER for the purchase and installation of behind-the-meter battery energy storage systems at Rhode Island homes and businesses. The program is funded by RGGI proceeds and is administered on a first-come, first-reserved basis.

Tier 1 systems (up to 25 kW continuous AC) receive $250 per kWh of nameplate battery capacity, up to $8,000 per project. Income-eligible customers receive $500 per kWh, up to $16,000. Tier 2 systems (25–250 kW AC) receive $175 per kWh, up to $42,000.

Any Rhode Island property owner with an active electric utility account with Rhode Island Energy, Clear River Electric and Water (CREW) District, or Block Island Utility District. The system must be a new, behind-the-meter, grid-connected battery installation.

Tier 1 systems (≤25 kW AC) must be on Rhode Island Energy's ConnectedSolutions supported products list. Tier 2 systems (25–250 kW AC) that are not on the ConnectedSolutions list must meet UL 9540 (with UL 9540A testing), UL 1741, and IEEE 1547 certifications.

Yes. The ESR rebate reduces your upfront installation cost, while ConnectedSolutions provides ongoing annual performance-based incentives. In fact, demand-response participation is required as a condition of receiving the ESR rebate.

You must provide proof of current participation in a qualifying program: Rhode Island Energy A-60 rate, WAP, LIHEAP, SNAP, RI Works, SSI/SSP, Medicaid, or Housing Program/Section 8. Documentation must be dated within the last 12 months. Self-attestation of income is not accepted.

OER reviews reservation applications in the order received and issues reservation letters to approved applicants. Once your system is installed and your completion package is approved, rebate payment is typically issued within 4–6 weeks via check or ACH.

Approved reservations are valid for 365 calendar days from the date of approval. Up to two 180-day extensions may be granted on a case-by-case basis for documented permitting or utility interconnection delays.

Yes. Notify OER and submit an updated installer designation. A change of installer may qualify you for a reservation timer restart, subject to OER approval.

Yes. As a condition of receiving the rebate, you must enroll in demand-response programs when available from your electric utility. At completion, you must provide proof of enrollment or, if programs are not yet available for your system, a signed commitment to enroll when they become available.

The rebate can be paid to either the customer or the installer, based on the designation in the application. If the installer is the payee, the final invoice must reflect a discount equal to the full rebate amount so that the customer receives the benefit at the point of sale.

Yes. Rhode Island Energy's Heat Loan program offers 0% financing for battery storage systems for eligible low-income customers on the A-60 rate. Call 1-888-633-7947 to learn more. This financing can be combined with the ESR rebate.

ConnectedSolutions is Rhode Island Energy's demand response program. It manages electricity use during peak demand periods by dispatching enrolled devices — including batteries, thermostats, and EV chargers — to reduce strain on the grid. Participants receive incentive payments for their contributions.

Residential battery participants earn $225 per average kW of performance each summer. You can lock in this rate for your first five summers of enrollment. Actual earnings depend on your battery's capacity and performance during dispatched events.

Yes. Participation in both programs does not reduce the incentives you receive in either one.

Yes. Commercial and industrial customers in rate classes C-06, G-02, or G-32 can enroll through Daily Dispatch, Targeted Dispatch, or both. Enrollment is typically managed through a Curtailment Service Provider (CSP), though direct participation is also available.

"Behind the meter" means the battery system is installed on the customer's side of the electric meter, typically connected to the building's main electrical panel. These systems serve the building's electrical loads directly and can also export stored energy to the grid.

An interconnection agreement is the formal approval from your electric utility that authorizes your battery system (and any associated solar panels) to operate in parallel with the grid. This ensures the system meets safety and technical standards and allows it to export and import electricity as designed.

Nameplate kWh is the manufacturer-stated energy capacity of your battery system. This is the value shown on the manufacturer's specification sheet and your installer's invoice, and it is the basis for calculating your rebate amount. For example, a Tesla Powerwall 3 has a nameplate capacity of 13.5 kWh.

A CSP is a third-party company that enrolls distributed energy resources (like batteries) in demand response or grid services programs on behalf of the utility or grid operator. CSPs handle the technical integration and performance management of enrolled devices.