Battery Program

ConnectedSolutions helps reduce grid stress during peak demand and rewards you with summer incentives by automatically discharging your battery when needed.

Your battery will respond to signals from Rhode Island Energy during peak demand events:

• Season: June – September
• Peak Demand Event Times: Between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• Duration of Event: 2 or 3 hours
• Frequency: No more than 60 events per summer
• Flexibility: You can opt out of any event at any time

You can participate by:

• Installing a battery with a new solar PV system
• Adding a battery to an existing solar PV system
• Use a standalone battery (Note: Standalone batteries cannot export power to the grid - the discharge rate is limited to the power the home uses at that time, which may reduce incentive earnings) 

2024-2026 Enrollment capacity

Total enrollment capacity (devices)	Enrollment spaces available (as of 11/15/2025)
1,062	30

Enrollments will be approved until July 1, 2026, or until capacity is reached. The next update will be posted by February 15, 2026.

If capacity is full, customers will still be able to submit an application. Applications will be placed on a waitlist. Application approvals will pause until regulatory and budget approvals are secured for the 2027-2029 program. 

Enrollment process

After installation, select your battery manufacturer from the approved battery partner list to enroll in ConnectedSolutions:

• Canadian Solar
• Enphase
• Emporia
• Fortress Power
• FranklinWH
• Generac
• QCells
• Sonnen
• Sol-Ark
• SolarEdge
• Sunrun (As of 12/1/2024, Sunrun will not support new customer enrollments in our program)
• Tesla

Participating customers will receive an incentive every year based on the performance of your battery system. Performance per event is equal to the battery’s average discharge rate over the event duration. Incentives are calculated based on the average kilowatt (kW) used per event, averaged over the season.

• Incentive rate: $225 per average kW performed each summer
• Cap: No customer may receive more than $6,875/year
• Term: Rate lock for the first five summers
• Financing: 0% financing available for eligible customers

0% financing for eligible low-income customers

Available to A-60 rate customers as of June 1, 2024. Covers equipment and labor costs associated with installing a battery storage system.

Steps to apply:

1. Call 1-888-633-7947 to request the 0% Financing Enrollment Form
2. Get contractor proposals
3. Submit the completed form and proposal to the Financing Administrator for approval
4. Receive a 0% Financing Authorization Form and apply for a loan with a Participating Lender
5. Once approved, proceed with the contracted work and installation
6. Once installed, enroll in ConnectedSolutions
7. Provide proof of ConnectedSolutions enrollment to the Financing Administrator
8. Finalize the loan and arrange payment to your contractor 

More information

2024-2026 Program Guide ConnectedSolutions - Residential and Small Business Customers - Battery Energy Storage

Can I use my battery for power outages?

Many customers install energy storage systems in preparation for power outages. We want to ensure that customers with solar batteries remain prepared if the lights go out.

In New England, most power outages occur in winter, while most battery usage events happen in the summer. So ConnectedSolutions participants can keep their batteries fully charged in preparation for a potential winter outage.

Do I need to maintain an internet connection to my energy storage system?

Yes. If we can’t communicate with your energy storage system, or if it can’t discharge when needed due to a maintenance issue, the incentive paid to either the system owner or their battery implementer will be affected.

Can I charge my battery storage system from the grid?

No. Your battery storage system must be charged from an on-site renewable resource, such as a solar PV system to participate in this program. Customers who own a battery without a solar PV system may also participate. However, the discharge rate of the battery will be limited to the home’s energy use during events.

Can I participate in this program if I already have a solar PV system?

Yes. Customers with existing solar PV systems can participate by adding an energy storage system to their homes. Ask your solar installer or battery implementer for details because storage cannot be easily added to every solar PV installation.

When you add a battery system to your existing solar PV system, your solar interconnection agreement will need to be updated. Your solar PV or battery implementer can complete this update.

What are the eligibility requirements?

• Must be a Rhode Island Energy residential or small business electric customer
• Have a battery energy storage system controlled by an approved battery implementer
• Have a battery energy storage system that is a behind-the-meter (BTM4) asset
• Customer agrees the battery energy storage system will receive a signal and instruct the batteries to be used for the customer’s site use and send the extra stored power to the grid during peak energy events
• Customers in the C-06 rate class may participate in either the Residential and Small Business (RSB) or C&I track, but they may not participate in both tracks at the same time or switch to a different track midseason
• Customers in the Pascoag Utility District and the Block Island Power Company service territory are not able to participate

How will I be notified of a demand response event?

Depending on your battery, you may not receive a notification before all events. Rhode Island Energy sends a signal to the battery or the inverter manufacturer the day before an event is called. Whether or not the battery owner receives a notification varies by manufacturer.

When will I receive my incentive for participating in ConnectedSolutions?

All efforts will be made to provide incentive payments for summer performance by the end of each calendar year. Some payments may be provided in the first quarter of the following calendar year. Incentive payments will be made to either the customer or another party, depending on the selection made in the ‘customer incentive payment options’ section of the customer application. Some installers or other parties may offer their customers an upfront discount on the customer battery system in exchange for the customer selecting that their performance incentives are sent to that party. Such negotiations are between the customer and the installer or other party. For any customer that is provided an incentive directly and not through another party, RIE will send an incentive check via U.S. Postal Service to the customer’s address.

The income received for participation in the program is not subject to income tax. Participants will not receive a 1099 form from Rhode Island Energy.

Can I participate in both the ConnectedSolutions Battery Program and the Solar System Program?

Yes, customers can participate in both. Participating in both programs will not decrease the incentives you earn in either program.

What if I choose to unenroll from the program?

To end your participation, please contact your battery implementer or send an e-mail to rienergy@energyhub.com.