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.

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.