Utility & Government Rebates Emerging For Residential BESS

One of the most critical technologies to enable widespread electrification of homes is battery energy storage systems (BESS). LightNOW frequently writes about how the lighting industry is adopting electrification products in the face of LED ubiquity, market contraction, and commoditization. Many lighting manufacturers now offer EV chargers, and some have moved on to offering BESS products.

Now utility and government energy efficiency programs are beginning to offer residential BESS rebates or other incentives. Here is a sampling:

Major U.S. utility and state programs

• Green Mountain Power (Vermont) – Offers bring‑your‑own‑device and utility‑supplied battery programs that can provide rebates or bill credits up to roughly five figures for qualifying home storage participating in peak‑shaving events.energysage​
• Connecticut utilities (through Energy Storage Solutions) – Eversource and United Illuminating administer the statewide Energy Storage Solutions program with upfront incentives around  $/kWh, capped at about $16,000 per home depending on income and customer type.franklinwh​
• California investor‑owned utilities (via SGIP) – Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric offer per‑kWh SGIP rebates for residential batteries, with typical base incentives around $150/kWh and higher levels for vulnerable or low‑income customers.energysage+1​
• PSEG Long Island (New York) – Administers enhanced NYSERDA‑funded residential storage rebates, often in the ~200–400 $/kWh range for eligible batteries installed in its service territory.franklinwh​
• Xcel Energy (Colorado) – Runs the Renewable Battery Connect program offering incentives that can reach several thousand dollars (up to about $5,000 in some cases) for customers who allow utility control/discharge during peak events.ecoflow​
• Fort Collins Utilities (Colorado) – Offers a Residential Battery Storage Program with rebates up to about $3,000 for installing a qualifying battery paired with solar in its municipal territory.tesla​

Selected local/municipal battery rebates

• Anaheim Public Utilities (California) – Provides a Battery Storage Program rebate up to about $3,000 for residential customers installing home storage (often discussed in the context of Powerwall but generally applicable to eligible systems).tesla​
• Central Coast Community Energy (California CCAs) – Offers a Residential Battery Rebate up to roughly $7,800 for customers who program batteries to discharge during specified peak windows.tesla​
• Energy Trust of Oregon (serving PGE and Pacific Power) – Beginning in 2025, offers upfront rebates around $475/kWh for home batteries, capped at approximately $5,700 per project for eligible utility customers.franklinwh​

Canadian utility / provincial programs

• BC Hydro (British Columbia) – Provides residential rebates up to $5,000CAD for battery storage (about $500CAD/kWh, capped at 50 % of installed product cost) for customers who install qualifying grid‑connected systems.bchydro+1​
• Provincial solar + storage programs (e.g., BC and similar) – Some provincial programs allow batteries to be combined with rooftop solar rebates, offering additional thousands of dollars back when a storage system is included with a PV installation.solar-distribution.baywa-re+1​

Important gaps and caveats

• Many incentives are state‑ or province‑level, not strictly utility‑specific (for example, the U.S. federal 25D tax credit covers 30% of eligible home battery costs but is a tax credit, not a utility rebate).homes.rewiringamerica​
• Numerous utilities participate indirectly by channeling state funds (e.g., NYSERDA, SGIP) rather than offering their own standalone rebate, so availability and amounts can differ by service territory and funding cycles.energysage+1​

How to check specific utilities

• Review your state or provincial clean energy incentive portal (e.g., state energy office, provincial energy ministry, or a consolidated database) to see current residential storage rebates tied to ZIP/postal code.solarreviews+1​
• Search utilitys’ “rebates and programs” or “distributed energy/DER” pages for terms like “battery storage,” “energy storage incentive,” or “virtual power plant,” since some programs provide bill credits or enrollment bonuses instead of explicit equipment rebates.powerflex+1

Image above: Residential energy system, courtesy of QH.

David Shiller

David Shiller is the Publisher of LightNOW, and President of Lighting Solution Development, a North American consulting firm providing business development services to advanced lighting manufacturers. The ALA awarded David the Pillar of the Industry Award. David has co-chaired ALA’s Engineering Committee since 2010. David established MaxLite’s OEM component sales into a multi-million dollar division. He invented GU24 lamps while leading ENERGY STAR lighting programs for the US EPA. David has been published in leading lighting publications, including LD+A, enLIGHTenment Magazine, LEDs Magazine, and more.

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