Energy Storage Rebates

The rebate process has two steps:

Step 1: Reserve Your Rebate

Submit an application through the online ESR Program rebate reservation portal. Your application must include:

1. Your name, contact information, mailing address, and service address.

2. Electric utility bill for the service address from the last 3 months.

3. Executed installation agreement with an installer showing the battery manufacturer, nameplate capacity (kWh), and continuous power (kW AC). The agreement must be dated on or after the program launch date of April 10th.

4. Intended rebate payee (you or your installer).

5. Acknowledgment of program terms & conditions.

6. Tier 2 applicants: Copy of the submitted interconnection application dated on or after the program launch date of April 10th.

7. Income-eligible applicants: proof of participation in one of the following programs, dated within the last 12 months:

• Rhode Island Energy A-60 Electric Low-Income Discount Rate 
• Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) 
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) 
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 
• RI Works Program 
• SSI State Supplemental Payment (SSP) 
• Medicaid 
• Housing Program / Section 8

OER reviews applications in the order received and issues reservation-of-funds letters to approved applicants. Reservations guarantee rebate availability for 365 days, with up to two 180-day extensions available for documented permitting or interconnection delays.

Step 2: Complete Your Installation and Submit Your Completion Package

Once your battery system is fully installed, interconnected, and inspected, please visit the ESR Program completion package portal and upload the following documentation:

1. Final invoice or signed financing/leasing agreement from the installation vendor showing battery manufacturer, nameplate capacity (kWh), and installation address. If installer is the payee, the document must show a discount equal to the full rebate amount and the installer must register as a vendor with the State of Rhode Island’s Division of Purchases in order to receive disbursement.
2. Utility Authorization to Interconnect (ATI) issued by Rhode Island Energy or the applicable utility company. 
3. Certificate of Completion from the local permitting authority (example: Town of South Kingstown). 
4. Installer Attestation form, including the electrical one-line diagram, equipment serial numbers, and dated installation photographs. 
5. Proof of demand-response enrollment (signed Curtailment Services Provider contract or Rhode Island Energy ConnectedSolutions confirmation), or a commitment to enroll once a qualifying program is available, as noted in the program terms and conditions. 
6. Completed W-9 form of rebate payee.

Upon receipt of a complete and accurate completion package, OER will review your submission and once approved, issue rebate payment to the designated payee within 4-6 weeks of approval, via State of Rhode Island payment processes.

Please reach out to Energy.Storage@energy.ri.gov with any questions.

Who Is Eligible?

Property owners at the installation address with an active electric account with Rhode Island Energy, Clear River Electric and Water (CREW) District, or Block Island Utility District.

• Systems must be new installations of behind-the-meter, grid-connected battery energy storage systems.
• Tier 1 systems must install equipment listed on Rhode Island Energy’s ConnectedSolutions supported products list
• Tier 2 systems not on the ConnectedSolutions list must meet UL 9540 (with UL 9540A testing), UL 1741, and IEEE 1547 certification requirements and be able to provide 15-minute interval data.
• The executed installation agreement and interconnection application must be dated on or after the program launch date of April 10th.
• Demand-response participation is required when programs are available from your electric utility.

What Is Not Eligible?

• Used or refurbished equipment
• Off-grid (non-interconnected) systems
• Projects located outside Rhode Island or not tied to a qualifying utility account
• Projects lacking required permits, inspections, or utility interconnection approval
• Projects with an installation agreement or interconnection application submitted prior to the program launch date of April 10th.
• Projects receiving the Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund (REF) storage adder for the same equipment (these incentives are mutually exclusive)
• Residential systems over 50 kW AC
• Any system exceeding 250 kW AC

Q: Can I claim incentives from both the OER Energy Storage Rebate Program and the REF storage adder for the same equipment?

A: No. Applicants may not claim incentives from both the Energy Storage Rebate (ESR) Program administered by the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER) and the Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund (REF) storage adder, administered by Rhode Island Commerce, for the same equipment. 

Q: Can I submit one application for multiple batteries in the same installation?

A: No. Each individual battery unit requires its own separate application.

Q: How long does the application process take? 

A: 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.

Q: Can I change my installer after my reservation is approved? 

A: Yes. Please notify OER and submit an updated installation agreement. If a change of installer requires an extension, you may request an extension for OER’s review.

Q: What should I do if I decide not to move forward with installing a battery after my reservation is approved?

A: The applicant is required to notify OER in the event of project termination so that reserved funds are released back to the program for the next eligible applicant.

Q: Do I have to participate in demand response? 

A: Yes. As a condition of receiving the rebate, you must enroll in demand-response programs when available from your electric utility. 

Q: Who receives the rebate? 

A: 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. 

Q: Is there 0% financing available? 

A: 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. 

By submitting an application for the Energy Storage Rebate (ESR) Program administered by the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER), the applicant agrees to the following terms and conditions. Please read these carefully before applying.

Eligibility

The applicant must be meet all eligibility criteria. The applicant must be a property owner at the installation address. The energy storage system must be a new, behind-the-meter, grid-connected installation, completed by a Rhode Island-licensed electrician, and fully permitted and inspected per local requirements. 

Renewable Energy Fund (REF) Storage Adder 

Applicants may not claim incentives from both the Energy Storage Rebate (ESR) Program administered by the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER) and the Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund (REF) storage adder, administered by Rhode Island Commerce, for the same equipment. 

Demand Response Participation  

Applicants agree to enroll in demand-response programs when available from their electric utility provider and to provide proof of such enrollment. If a qualifying program is unavailable, participants must enroll once a qualifying program becomes available; submitting an application will be considered the applicant’s commitment to enroll when a program becomes available.   

Verification, Compliance, Quality Assurance & Audits 

OER will verify eligibility through document review and may conduct quality-assurance checks, including requests for additional documentation or site visits at any time. The applicant is required to permit access to the installation site for quality-assurance inspections if selected by OER or its designated contractor. OER reserves the right to request additional documentation beyond the documents required to complete an application in order to verify eligibility. OER may deny payment or require repayment if the project is found noncompliant, not installed, not operational, or not interconnected as required.  

Reservation Term and Expiration 

Approved reservations are valid for 365 days. Up to two 180-day extensions may be granted at OER’s discretion for documented permitting or utility interconnection delays. If a reservation expires, reserved funds are released back to the program for the next eligible applicant. 

Project Changes and Termination 

Applicants may change their installer during the reservation period by notifying OER and submitting an updated installation agreement. If a change of installer requires an extension, the applicant may request an extension for OER’s review. The applicant is required to notify OER in the event of project termination so that reserved funds are released back to the program for the next eligible applicant. 

OER Communications 

OER may contact the applicant at any point during or after the rebate process. Communications may include, but are not limited to, requests for or verification of application materials, demand-response program and enrollment information, quality-assurance follow-ups, program evaluation surveys, and general program updates. 

Record Retention 

All parties must retain all project documentation for a minimum of three (3) years following rebate payment and provide it upon request. 

Data Collection & Evaluation 

To support program evaluation and future program design, OER will collect non-sensitive project data, including but not limited to installed kWh, equipment information, installation date, and installation zip code/municipality. OER may also request optional participant survey feedback. Program data will be managed consistent with applicable privacy and records requirements. 

Federal and State Tax Reporting 

Rebate payments may be subject to federal and state tax reporting requirements, and a completed W-9 form of the payee is required. 

Funding Availability 

The submission of a rebate application does not guarantee an award. Rebates are subject to the availability of program funds and compliance with all program requirements.

Program Modification & Termination

OER reserves the right to modify or terminate this rebate program at any time.

Battery storage systems offer a range of energy efficiency and clean energy benefits for homeowners and businesses: 

Save money on electricity. Batteries store cheap energy and discharge during expensive peak hours, improving your home’s efficiency and lowering your electric bill. Through ConnectedSolutions, you can also earn annual performance-based incentives for allowing your battery to support the grid during high-demand events. 

Keep the lights on during outages. A battery can power your most important appliances and systems — refrigerators, lights, medical devices, internet equipment, sump pumps — for hours or even days during a power outage. Paired with solar panels, a battery can recharge itself during extended outages. 

Reduce your carbon footprint. By using stored clean energy instead of drawing from gas-fired peaker plants during high-demand periods, a battery system improves energy efficiency and directly reduces the greenhouse gas emissions associated with your electricity use. 

Increase the value of your solar investment. Without storage, excess solar electricity is exported to the grid at a credits rate that may not match what you pay for electricity later. A battery lets you store that excess energy and use it when you need it, maximizing the financial return on your solar panels. 

Support Rhode Island's clean energy goals. Every battery installed behind the meter contributes to the state's 90 MW energy storage target and helps reduce the peak demand that drives the highest costs and emissions on our electric grid.