The real numbers on New York’s home battery incentives, $2,000 to $11,250 upfront, and how you can get paid each summer.
If you’ve been researching a home battery, you’ve probably found three different numbers on three different websites — some of them the utilities’ own. So let’s clear it up. New York actually pays you twice for a home battery: once upfront to install it, and again every summer for owning one. Most states don’t do either right now, and we’re the only one still doing both. Let’s take a look at the real numbers and see how much you qualify to save! One thing to know before you scroll: these incentive rates are first-come, first-served, and they lock the day your application goes in.
The Quick Version
Upfront:
NYSERDA pays $200/kWh (this can grow to up to $450/kWh for qualifying addresses and household income levels) which works out to around $2,000-$6,750 off one battery. Or up to $11,250 for two batteries (1).
Every Summer:
Your utility pays you for a few hours of grid assistance on hot summer days. Typically adding up to around $150-$250 a year just for borrowing a portion of your battery!
Which savings tier you land in usually is determined by your home address. Check below and see if you qualify for additional savings:
The NYSERDA Incentive by Battery
New York’s battery incentive is paid on your battery’s usable kilowatt-hours (kWh) up to a 25 kWh max per home. Here’s what current NYSERDA Battery Incentives look like on the batteries we offer. Check out the standard rate first, and then you can see what the same battery earns at the inclusive rate if you qualified above (1).
Check out what this could look like with some of our most common battery options below. See full battery options here.
| Battery | Usable kWh | Standard Incentive (*Up To) | Inclusive Incentive (*Up To) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enphase IQ Battery 10C | 10 kWh | $2,000 | $4,500 |
| Tesla Powerwall 3 | 13.5 kWh | $2,700 | $6,075 |
| Franklin WH aPower 2 | 15 kWh | $4,000 | $6,750 |
| 2 Enphase 10Cs | 20 kWh | $5,000 | $9,000 |
| Program Maximum | 25 kWh | $5,000 | $11,250 |
The inclusive storage tier (ISI) can be worth an extra $2,500–$6,250 compared to the standard one. A few things worth understanding before you sign anything:
- It’s a price reduction, not a rebate or tax credit. The incentive shows up as a reduction on your contract, so you’ll see those savings right as you sign. No waiting for tax season!
- Rates will likely decrease in the future as incentive blocks fill. Savings described here rely on current incentive blocks, however these may drop in the future. Your rate locks at application (1).
- Battery incentives apply to your first application only. Expanding your battery system down the road can be a smart choice if you need the extra storage capacity, however you won’t be able to claim more NYSERDA incentives then. So if your address qualifies and two batteries make sense for your current or future needs, sizing it right the first time can be worth up to $2,500 more!
Who Qualifies for the $450/kWh Inclusive Storage Incentive (ISI) Rate
There are three ways to qualify, but most commonly we see homeowners qualify by location:
Your address (most common):
- New York designated 1,736 census tracts in the state as priority communities where homes qualify for the additional incentive automatically – no added paperwork required!
- The map covers far more of Upstate than most people guess, with major parts of Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, Poughkeepsie and Kingston included (1).
- Because the boundaries follow census lines and not town or city lines, the best way to check if you qualify is with our free tool!
Your income:
- Households at or below 80% of area or state median income (or enrollment in a program like HEAP, SNAP, or SSI) can qualify with a short state form fillout.
- If you believe you will qualify, let us know and we’ll assist with the paperwork!
Affordable housing status:
- Qualifying affordable housing can also be eligible for this extended incentive.
Not sure if you qualify? That’s exactly what we’re here for. Check your address with our free tool below:
Your Utility Pays You Every Summer
Here’s the part a lot of homeowners don’t realize: that required dynamic load management program (DLM) enrollment isn’t a catch — the program pays you back every year. The same signup that unlocks your upfront incentive earns you a check each summer. The design is about the same everywhere ($50 per average kW your battery delivers, paid out to you once a year).
Across all of them, the honest savings number is up to ~$150–$250 a year, because you can choose whether to opt out in any event. When you skip one it simply averages in as $0, no penalty.
- National Grid – ConnectedSolutions: May 1–Sep 30 season, typically 10–20 short events of 3–4 hours, paid annually after the season, and National Grid cites about $250 a year on average (2).
- NYSEG / RG&E – Energy Storage Solutions: May 1–Sep 30, up to 20 weekday events, and per NYSEG’s program page 20% of your battery always stays in reserve, paid annually (3).
- Orange & Rockland – Smart Savers Battery: May 1–Sep 30, up to 15 events, with the payment arriving as a prepaid Visa card at the end of the season (4).
- Central Hudson: They haven’t launched their program yet, so the full incentive is actually available now with no enrollment required at all. Once their program rolls out, DLM will be required for incentives.
Your Battery, Your Rules
A question we hear often from customers: does this mean the utility controls my battery? Here’s how it actually works:
- A reserve always stays for you. Your battery keeps a backup reserve for your house which is not sent to the grid. Meaning you’ll never be left with a drained battery!
- You can opt out of any event. Skip any event with a few clicks. There’s no penalty when opting out, instead your earnings for the season will just decrease.
- You’re paid relative to what’s used. Your once a year payment reflects how much the grid pulled from your battery. If you participate in more, you’ll earn more.
- You control your enrollment. You enroll through your battery’s own app. We’ll assist you with this process.
As mentioned in the utilities’ own materials, events aren’t called when major storms are forecast, so your battery will remain ready for when you’re likely to need it (2)(3). These programs currently only pull from your battery during the summer months, so during winter storms and weather you’ll have your battery all for you.
Let's Look at a Real Example
Take an Inclusive Storage Incentive (ISI) qualifying home in Troy looking to add one Enphase IQ Battery 10C: that would be $4,500 upfront savings and ~$250 every summer from their utility (1). The standard-rate version of the very same project is $2,000 off plus those same summer payments. Either way, it’s math you can defend at the kitchen table.
Ready to see where your home lands? Check if your home qualifies today and we’ll help you see how a battery could work for you.
Frequently Asked Questions:
No — it’s an upfront price reduction on your contract. There’s no waiting for tax season and no tax liability required. You’ll see the savings before you sign.
In most utility territories, enrollment in a dynamic load management (DLM) program is required to claim the battery incentive. However, while enrolled, you can opt out of any event.
If you’re in Central Hudson territory, there is currently no enrollment required.
It comes down to your household address or income. If your home is in a designated Disadvantaged Community, it will automatically qualify. Check your address today with the form above!
Our expert team will help you identify the best battery for your solar, electrical loads and utility. Certain utilities accept certain battery types in their programs. We’ll help you ensure your battery is accepted!
What makes New York different in 2026 isn’t any single number, instead it’s that we’re the only state running the full stack of incentives: open upfront savings, a doubled tier for qualifying homeowners, recurring payments from the utilities, and no long term commitment.
Published: 7/31/2026
Sources:
- NYSERDA. Residential & Retail Energy Storage Program Manual and Residential Incentive Dashboard. See also: New York Disadvantaged Communities Map.
- National Grid. ConnectedSolutions (NY) Battery Program.
- NYSEG. Energy Storage Solutions Program.
- Orange & Rockland. Smart Savers Battery Program.
