New Jersey utility PSE&G has launched the GridSmart Battery Program, a residential battery storage pilot offering customers a $5,000 incentive toward the purchase and installation of a qualifying home battery system.
The program also includes an option for up to $25,000 in interest-free, on-bill repayment for remaining installation costs.
Beyond providing backup power during outages, participating battery systems may be activated during scheduled GridSmart Battery Events, in which stored energy is used to power the customer’s home during periods of peak grid demand, reducing the amount of electricity drawn from the utility.
Customers will be notified in advance of any scheduled events.
“Home battery storage is a great way to make homes more resilient,” said Lauren Thomas, Vice President, Clean Energy Solutions – Customer Solutions, in a statement.
The program is part of PSE&G’s residential virtual power plant (VPP) pilot and aligns with New Jersey’s broader grid modernization efforts. In July, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities launched a stakeholder process to develop a statewide VPP framework, and PSE&G’s pilot is intended to help evaluate how customer-owned battery storage can support that next phase of grid programming.
Thomas continued, “Through the GridSmart Battery Program, we’re giving customers another way to invest in their homes by adding reliable backup power while helping us better understand how residential battery storage can support a more reliable electric grid. It’s an important step in helping shape the future of energy in New Jersey.”
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