Official State of Rhode Island website

State of Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources

Energy Storage Rebates

The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER) offers rebates for the purchase and installation of behind-the-meter battery energy storage systems up to 250 kW at Rhode Island homes and businesses. The Energy Storage Rebate (ESR) Program, launched April 10th, is funded by proceeds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and is administered on a first-come, first-reserved basis. Behind-the-meter battery storage delivers multiple benefits to Rhode Island's electricity system, including reduced peak demand costs for ratepayers, enhanced grid reliability through fast-responding dispatchable capacity, lower emissions from displaced peaking generation, and greater renewable energy utilization. The Energy Storage Rebate Program supports Rhode Island's progress toward the 2024 Energy Storage Systems Act's 2026 90 MW storage-deployment target by providing direct financial incentives that reduce upfront project costs and accelerate residential and commercial adoption.

Rebate Amounts

The program is structured in two tiers based on continuous AC power rating:

Tier 1 — (≤25 kW AC)

  Base Incentive Income-Eligible Incentive
Rate  $250 per kWh nameplate battery capacity $500 per kWh nameplate battery capacity
Maximum $8,000 per project $16,000 per project
Max rebate reached at 32 kWh 32 kWh

Tier 2 — (25–250 kW AC)

  Base Incentive 
Rate $175 per kWh AC nameplate battery capacity
Maximum $45,500 per project
Max rebate reached at 260 kWh

Available Funding: $2,000,000 total ($1,300,000 for Tier 1; $700,000 for Tier 2).

Reserve Your Rebate

Access the ESR Program rebate reservation portal to submit your application and reserve your rebate.

Submit Your Completion Package

Access the ESR Program completion package portal once your battery system is fully installed, interconnected, and inspected to upload required documentation and receive your rebate.

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. 
  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 customer W-9 form (required regardless 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 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 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

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