- The Bring Your Own Battery (BYOB) program lets homeowners connect a home battery to the local grid, so the utility can borrow a small amount of stored power during peak demand.
- New batteries installed after 2026 must enroll in BYOB to qualify for a NYSERDA rebate, which ties real savings directly to signing up.
- New York State Solar Farm helps Hudson Valley homeowners enroll in the Bring Your Own Battery program and installs systems built to qualify from day one.
Your home battery already protects you during a blackout. The Bring Your Own Battery program pays you for that same battery, even on ordinary days.
New York regulators approved this plan to ease pressure on the grid during summer heat waves. Instead of building new power plants for a handful of extreme-demand days each year, utilities now borrow small amounts of stored energy from home batteries across the state.
How the Program Works
Homeowners with a battery system sign up through their utility. The utility adds a small communication device that lets it call on your battery during specific high-demand events.
Your battery keeps working normally the rest of the time. It still backs up your home during a storm and stores your extra power when the grid goes down.
Why Hudson Valley Homeowners Should Enroll Now
The rollout is staggered by utility, with new deadlines through 2026. Homeowners installing a new battery system now need BYOB enrollment to collect the NYSERDA rebate that used to come automatically.
Existing battery owners can typically enroll too, often without adding new equipment. Checking your battery model against your utility’s approved list is the first step.
Grid operators use these small contributions from thousands of homes to avoid expensive new infrastructure. That keeps costs lower for the whole region, not just program members.
What Enrollment Can Mean for Your Wallet
Payment structures vary by utility and battery size. Homeowners around the Northeast with similar programs report earning several hundred dollars a year for a handful of short dispatch events each summer.
Stack that payment on top of your solar savings and a NYSERDA battery rebate, and a home battery pays for itself faster than it did a year ago.
Getting a System That Qualifies
Not every battery on the market works with every utility’s BYOB program. Approved equipment lists change as utilities finalize their rollouts, and missing a deadline can mean missing a rebate.
New York State Solar Farm designs battery systems for Hudson Valley homes with BYOB eligibility built in from the start. Our team checks your utility’s requirements, handles the enrollment paperwork, and confirms your rebate before installation day.
A Battery That Works for You First
A home battery’s first job is keeping your lights on when the grid goes down. The Bring Your Own Battery program is an added benefit on top of that protection, never a replacement for it.
Homeowners who already have solar are in the best position to add a battery and start earning right away. Homeowners planning a new system can build BYOB eligibility from the beginning.
New York State Solar Farm is a NYSERDA Platinum installer located in Modena, NY, and serves the entire Hudson Valley from Westchester County to Lake George. We can confirm what the Bring Your Own Battery program pays you.
Book a free consultation to find out what your home could earn through the Bring Your Own Battery program.
FAQs
What is the Bring Your Own Battery program?
Bring Your Own Battery (BYOB) is a New York utility program that lets homeowners connect an existing home battery to the grid, so the utility can draw a small amount of stored power during peak demand events in exchange for a payment or bill credit.
How do I know if my battery qualifies for BYOB?
Each utility publishes a list of approved battery brands and models, and homeowners can check their system against that list on their utility’s program page or by asking their solar installer to confirm eligibility.
Do I have to enroll in BYOB to get a NYSERDA battery rebate?
Homeowners installing a new battery system after the 2026 enrollment deadlines must enroll in their utility’s BYOB program to receive the NYSERDA battery incentive, though limited exceptions apply for batteries from manufacturers not yet fully onboarded.
Will BYOB affect my battery’s backup power during an outage?
No. BYOB only draws a small, scheduled amount of power during specific grid events, and your battery still prioritizes backing up your home first during storms and outages.