BATTERY STORAGE
A residential battery is essentially a giant rechargeable battery for your house. It acts like a personal fuel tank that stores electricity. The battery fills up using energy from your solar panels or by pulling electricity from the local grid during cheaper, off-peak hours.
Backup Power: When the grid goes out, the battery automatically turns on to keep your lights and appliances running.
Saving Money: If your power company charges higher rates during peak evening hours, the battery can power your home so you don't have to pay those expensive prices.
Maximizing Solar: Solar panels generate the most power during the middle of the day. A battery saves that daytime energy so you can use it at night.
Why Batteries Matter
Power outages from inclement weather are a significant hazard in Maine. Outages in Maine are among the most frequent in the country, and Maine’s shifting climate is likely to increase the exposure of the region’s electrical infrastructure to tree damage in the coming decades. Outages can cause disruption to communication (especially internet access), loss of heat and/or water, and pose a risk for those who rely on electronic devices for medical support. Less developed areas may face extended power outages, as utility crews may take longer to reach downed lines.
Generators versus Batteries
Generators provide power for outages by burning fuel (gas, diesel, propane, or natural gas). In contrast, batteries run on clean energy instead of fossil fuels, and can offer additional financial benefits beyond just emergency power.
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Finding The Right Battery
Start by understanding your home's energy use and thinking about what you want the battery to do — keep the lights and refrigerator running during outages, support heating systems, work with solar panels, or provide longer backup during storms. A local solar or energy contractor can help you compare options and find a system that fits your home, budget, and backup needs.
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Costs
Prices vary depending on equipment, labor, and system size.
EnergySage estimates that the average cost of a battery system in Maine is $17,753.
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Funding
Efficiency Maine
Efficiency Maine offers The Small Battery Demand Management Program for residential and small business systems. ​​
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You can earn incentives if you participate in a battery program offered by an Efficiency Maine Small Battery Program Partner, who pays you to let them discharge your battery to the grid during periods of high grid demand. Eligible homeowners can earn up to $600 per battery per year.
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Click here to learn more.
Federal Benefits
The Federal Benefit For Residential Battery Storage Has Expired.
Other Options
A loan lets you own the system while paying it off over time. A lease means you make monthly payments to use the battery, but a company owns it. A prepaid TPO (third-party ownership) arrangement involves paying a large upfront amount for long-term use while the provider still owns and maintains the system. EnergySage helps explain these options in this article.