The Residential Battery Storage Pilot Program in Fort Collins

Heads up, Fort Collins. There’s a new renewable energy incentive in town.

Fort Collins Utilities recently launched its new Residential Battery Storage Program for homeowners with compatible energy storage systems permanently connected to the Fort Collins Utilities distribution grid. Eligible customers participating in the program may receive up to $1,500 in support for new battery installations as well as a number of other program benefits.

Participants in the program can also take advantage of Time-of-day (TOD) pricing by charging their battery when rates are lower during off-peak periods and then self-consuming or exporting power back to the grid during on-peak periods.

RESIDENTIAL BATTERY STORAGE PILOT PROGRAM BENEFITS

Participants in the Residential Battery Storage Pilot program receive the following benefits:

• The incentive of up to $1,500 for new battery system installations (Incentive amount is calculated at $100 per kilowatt-hour of usable battery system energy capacity)
• Strategic advice on how to use their battery to minimize their energy bill
• Battery operating strategies balanced to meet their priorities:
  • Maximizing solar energy self-consumption
  • Minimizing energy bills
  • Resiliency for emergency power
  • Security for essential energy loads

Additionally, participating customers can charge or discharge their batteries at any time, including during periods of peak demand when battery energy can be discharged back to the grid in exchange for net metering credits from the utility.

RESIDENTIAL BATTERY STORAGE PILOT PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

The Fort Collins Utilities Residential Battery Storage Pilot Program has the following eligibility requirements:

• Program participants must be Fort Collins Utilities, residential electric customers.
• Incentives are available for new battery system installations only.
• Projects must be sold, designed, and installed by active Participating Solar Contractors. (DIY systems are ineligible).
• Eligible battery systems must remain connected to the internet and must be programmed either to store surplus solar energy for on-site consumption or in a mode that optimizes battery operations to the Time-of-Day rate structure.
• Customers must meet the eligibility and interconnection requirements of the Fort Collins Utilities Residential Solar Rebate Program.
• Customers shall support Fort Collins Utilities in accessing battery inverter operation data for monitoring purposes.
• Installation incentives are subject to the volume of participation and availability of funds.

APPROVED BATTERY STORAGE SOLUTIONS

The following battery storage solutions have been pre-approved for use in the Residential Battery Storage Pilot Program:

• Sonnen eco models
• SolarEdge StorEdge with LG Chem batteries
• Tesla PowerWall

Approval of other battery storage solutions is at the discretion of the program manager.

BENEFITS OF A BATTERY STORAGE SYSTEM

Wondering if you need a home battery storage system to complement your new or existing solar PV system? There are many benefits to having one or more home batteries, particularly if you’re looking to lower your carbon footprint or use and store solar energy on-site. Batteries allow you to store energy for later when you need it most or to avoid buying energy during on-peak hours.

In this way, safe and reliable battery storage solutions like the Sonnen eco help create home energy resilience and protect against rising utility costs. The eco, in particular, boasts a 100% depth-of-discharge capability and a projected life cycle up to three times that of the Tesla test, ensuring energy peace of mind, now and in the future.

HOW TO GET STARTED

Ready to get started? The next step is to obtain a free quote for your battery storage system from a Participating Solar Contractor like Independent Power . From there, we’ll design the perfect system for your home and help you with the pilot program application and any other available solar or energy storage incentives.

Hurry though. The 2020 Residential Battery Storage Pilot Program is only funded for $30,000, which may support 20 to 30 new battery systems in Fort Collins. Take advantage of this generous incentive and start your journey toward home energy resilience with a new battery storage system.