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Energy Storage Solutions Program

Beginning September 1, 2025, you can earn rewards from your battery storage system by participating in our new Energy Storage Solutions program. We are accepting pre-enrollment now by email.  

This program is designed by enrolling customer home or business energy storage systems to contribute energy to the grid during peak demand periods. Customers can receive performance incentives for participating in planned events. Energy storage systems (i.e. battery storage technology) provide NYSEG customers – from homeowners to small business owners – an opportunity to be more secure in the face of our changing climate. Energy Storage Solutions will help create a more reliable, resilient New York, especially for vulnerable communities and those more frequently impacted by storm-related outages. Backup power does more than just help during an outage. The battery systems installed through this program will contribute to the grid during critical times for an additional benefit to all customers. 

Residential and Small Business customers enrolled in the program will receive performance incentive payments 1 time a year based on the average power your battery contributes to the grid during critical periods. 

This program is overseen by the New York Public Service Commission (NY PSC), is paid for by customers, and is administered by NYSEG. Incentive payments can begin once qualified battery storage systems are enrolled.

 

Energy Storage Solutions for Homes and Small Business 

 

Having a battery installed in your home can help you be more prepared when storms are on the horizon. Batteries can be your backup power source if you experience an outage to keep your lights on and essential appliances like your fridge running. 

Energy Storage systems provide energy when you need it most. Though they work great on their own, pairing them with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems can ensure that you can not only use power during an outage, but also recharge them when the sun comes out. 

For upfront incentives, please visit the NYSERDA battery page to see whether you are eligible to receive up to $200 per kWh for the battery install cost. Disadvantaged Communities can receive up to $400 per kWh for the battery install cost. 

Enrolling into the Energy Storage Solutions program provides customers an opportunity to earn performance incentives based on actual energy delivered into the grid and can help either pay off the cost of their battery or contribute additional dollars to your hands! 

 

Hourly Event Performance Table 

 

Event Hour 1 Hour 2 Hour 3 Average Hourly Performance
Event 1 3 kW 2 kW 4 kW 3 kW

 

 

Average Seasonal Delivered Table 

 

Event Event 1 Event 2 Event 3 Event 4 Average Seasonal Delivered
Average Hourly Performance 3 kW 4 kW 2 kW 3 kW 3 kW

 

Event performance will be the average of the hourly performance for the event. For example, if a customer’s battery discharges 3 kW in hour 1, 2 kW in hour 2, and 4 kW in hour 3, their event performance is (3 + 2 + 4)/3 = 3 kW. Compensation is based on the customers average performance across all events in the summer season.  

For example, if a customer delivered an average of 3 kW in Event 1, 4 kW in Event 2, 2 kW in Event 3, and 3 kW in Event 4, their average seasonal delivered kW would be (3 + 4 + 2 + 3)/4 = 3 kW.  

Incentives are calculated by multiplying your average seasonal event performance by $50 per kW. Therefore, utilizing the average seasonal delivered 3 kW from the previous example, the customer would have earned a $150 customer incentive (3 kW times $50 kW = $150). 

Please visit the NYSERDA battery page for more information regarding additional incentives. 

 

 

 

Frequently asked questions

 

Learn about New York’s Energy Storage Solutions (ESS) program, including who’s eligible, available incentives, and how battery storage works. See below for answers to common general, technology, and residential questions—or download the full FAQ document here. Don't see an answer to your question? Email our team at ess-dr@avangrid.com.  

Asset Publisher

Energy Storage Solutions (ESS) is an energy storage incentive program designed to help our customers install energy storage in their home or small business to improve resiliency and reliability. The program is overseen by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Customers must have an active NYSEG or RG&E electric service account and the battery must be located at the same site as the electric service account with a maximum storage size of 25 kilowatt hours (kWh). The buildings and the battery system must be connected to the grid by an agreement with NYSEG or RG&E.

  • Resilience – a battery can provide backup power during an outage or extreme weather event.
  • Cost Savings – a battery can help lower energy demands on the grid, potentially reducing energy costs.

Active dispatch discharges (or takes) up to 80% of your battery when an event occurs during the summer season. Events will be called during non-holiday weekdays between May 1 and September 30. Each event can be up to four hours and there will be up to 20 events per season. You can opt out of any event; however, your average performance will be affected and may result in a lower performance payment at the end of the season.

No, this program is designed for grid-connected use.

Batteries store energy from the grid or another energy source, like a solar system. During an outage, that stored energy can be accessed and used to keep lights and appliances running. If your home has a photovoltaic (PV) system, the battery can store and be recharged from the energy generated by your PV system.

Installing a battery in your home or business can help you prepare for power outages or extreme weather events, providing backup power for your lights, small appliances and medical equipment. A battery system can replace a fossil fuel emergency generator with a quieter, cleaner alternative.

There are several benefits to pairing these systems with a solar system, but you do not need to have solar installed to install a battery storage system. Without a PV system, your battery would charge from the grid and could provide power in the event of an outage.

A program or certified contractor can help you size your system and determine the number of batteries needed based on what you want to power during an outage. For a list of qualified contractors, please visit here.

Depending on the type, batteries may need to be located inside or outside of your home. A contractor can help you determine where the battery system should be installed.

The following technologies are eligible for this program: Tesla, Enphase and SolarEdge. This list will be updated on a yearly basis as new technologies are approved.

This depends on the size and number of batteries in your system, and the items you are powering with the batteries. The larger the battery, the longer it will be able to power your appliances and lights without being re-charged by solar PV or the grid. For example, a refrigerator could continue to run for approximately 33 hours with a 13.5kWh battery.

Yes, a battery storage system needs to be installed in a location with internet service for proper connectivity and program device communications.

An eligible contractor must install the battery and they will handle all the technical details. Even if you’re not enrolling in ESS we ask that you or your contractor contact NYSEG or RG&E when installing the battery so they can make sure the electrical grid in your area is ready to connect your battery. For a list of qualified contractors, please visit here.

No, your contractor will implement the storage system controls. During active events, the program administrators will require that the battery settings be implemented through the utility and not at the device level, so that the settings can be easily monitored and updated remotely by the utility without the need for your contractor to come back to reprogram your system.

Yes, your battery can provide power to your home with the energy it has stored anytime there is an electrical outage, regardless of the cause.

No, your battery will not discharge within two days before any storms are predicted to cause outages in your area.

Batteries should sense a loss of power automatically and start powering your home immediately.

Not necessarily. Unless your home is specifically wired to do so, when a grid outage occurs, your home will not run on your solar system. With a battery backup system installed, however, your solar system will charge the battery and provide power until the outage ends.

A battery can provide backup power in the event of an outage. This can keep your essential equipment running. Talk with your contractor and the supplier of your medical equipment to determine what will work best for you.

The Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and local property tax exemptions may be available to you – consider all options when you are installing batteries with qualifying renewable energy systems. Consult a tax professional to learn about these programs.

Aside from paying out of pocket, home equity loans and line of credit can be an option. Determine what is best for you.

We recommend consulting your specific battery system manufacturer for this information. One of NYSERDA’s up-front eligibility requirements states that all batteries must have a minimum 10-year warranty.

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