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Use the free estimator for a preliminary layout, or share your preferred response method with the commercial team. Final feasibility still requires site, utility, and engineering review.
Turn your commercial battery into a revenue-generating asset. National Grid pays $200/kW per summer season for Daily Dispatch — $275/kW under 50 kW — while peak shaving slashes demand charges by 30-50%.
Massachusetts commercial electricity rates ($0.22-$0.30/kWh) and demand charges ($7.85-$15.20/kW/month) make battery storage economics exceptionally strong. Pair with solar for the 30% federal ITC, SMART 3.0 adder, and MACRS depreciation. Payback on the battery alone runs 2.4-4.0 years.
National Grid Daily Dispatch
$200/kW
Demand Charge Savings
$8K-$15K
Federal ITC
30%+
ROI Payback
2.4-4.0 Years
Yes, and it does not depend on which utility bills the meter. ConnectedSolutions pays $200/kW per summer season for a business battery on daily dispatch at both Massachusetts utilities — National Grid calls it Daily Dispatch, Eversource calls it daily curtailment — and National Grid adds $275/kW for systems under 50 kW. A 100 kW commercial battery on daily dispatch generates $20,000/year from ConnectedSolutions alone, plus $8,000-$15,000/year in demand charge reduction. The 30% federal Section 48E ITC — which storage earns on its own, paired with solar or not — plus MACRS depreciation cut upfront costs by 40-50%, driving payback to 2.4-4.0 years. The 10-year NPV for a typical 100 kW / 400 kWh system ranges from $104,208.578 to $186,260.723 at a 5% discount rate.
ConnectedSolutions is Massachusetts' utility-administered demand response program. Commercial battery owners earn revenue by discharging stored energy during grid peak events. Each utility runs its own version: National Grid publishes three business battery offerings statewide, Eversource publishes two statewide curtailment tracks, and Eversource layers two geographically bounded ConnectedSolutions+ pilots on top of its statewide rates. The headline daily rate is the same at both utilities — $200/kW per season — so the demand-response line of a commercial battery business case does not turn on which utility bills the meter. The National Grid and pilot figures below were read off the administering utility's own business page on August 3, 2026; the Eversource statewide rates, which sit behind a location gate on Eversource's site, were read on August 5, 2026.
$200/kW
Batteries above 50 kW — the default commercial enrolment. Paid per kW of average curtailment delivered across the season's events, not on the battery's nameplate rating, and enrolled battery capacity is capped at 150% of the site's peak load.
$275/kW
Systems with inverter capacity under 50 kW. Paid per kW of average curtailment delivered across the season's events, not on the battery's nameplate rating, and enrolled battery capacity is capped at 150% of the site's peak load.
$45/kW
Sites that want minimal cycling and can only commit to a handful of calls. Paid per kW of average curtailment delivered across the season's events, not on the battery's nameplate rating, and enrolled battery capacity is capped at 150% of the site's peak load.
$200/kW
The default Eversource commercial enrolment — a site that can deliver a reduction on every called event. Paid per kW of average reduction across the season. These are curtailment rates rather than battery-specific rates — a battery earns them the same way any dispatchable resource does — and Eversource states no peak-load cap equivalent to National Grid's.
$45/kW + $10/kW weekend bonus
Sites that can only commit to a handful of calls; the weekend bonus is averaged across all weekend events. Paid per kW of average reduction across the season. These are curtailment rates rather than battery-specific rates — a battery earns them the same way any dispatchable resource does — and Eversource states no peak-load cap equivalent to National Grid's.
$250/kW
A geographically bounded pilot, not a statewide Eversource rate. Open to businesses in Alewife, Dorchester, Mattapan, West Roxbury, Milton. Eversource holds the enrolled rate for at least 4 seasons after enrolling.
$275/kW summer, $100/kW shoulder
The only Massachusetts business battery offering that pays outside the summer season. Open to businesses in Freetown, Lakeville, New Bedford, Dartmouth, Acushnet. Eversource holds the enrolled rate for at least 4 seasons after enrolling.
Central & Western MA
Business Battery Rate
$200/kW Daily Dispatch · $275/kW under 50 kW · $45/kW Targeted Dispatch
Where It Applies
Published statewide on the National Grid MA business programme page
Demand Charge
$7.85-$12.40/kW/month
Enrollment
Installer-submitted application
The only Massachusetts utility publishing a battery-specific tier — the higher under-50 kW rate. Payment is on average curtailment across June through September, and enrolled capacity is capped at 150% of site peak load. SC-2 and SC-3 rate classes carry the significant demand charges. Enrollment processing takes 3-6 weeks.
Eastern & Western MA
Business Battery Rate
$200/kW daily curtailment · $45/kW + $10/kW weekend bonus targeted · $250-$275/kW in the ConnectedSolutions+ pilots
Where It Applies
Statewide, with two higher-paying pilot geographies on top
Demand Charge
$10.75-$15.20/kW/month
Enrollment
Online portal + installer submission
Statewide, daily curtailment pays $200/kW across 30 to 60 events and targeted dispatch pays $45/kW across three to eight events plus a $10/kW weekend bonus; the season runs June 1 through September 30. Events run two to three hours and are called between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. On top of that, the Greater Boston Daily Battery pilot ($250/kW) covers Alewife, Dorchester, Mattapan, West Roxbury, Milton and the Southeastern Massachusetts Daily Battery Curtailment pilot ($275/kW summer, $100/kW shoulder) covers Freetown, Lakeville, New Bedford, Dartmouth, Acushnet, with the enrolled pilot rate held for at least 4 seasons after enrolling. Eversource publishes no Massachusetts small-battery or battery-specific statewide tier — there is no Eversource equivalent of National Grid's higher under-50 kW rate. Its enhanced battery rates are the ConnectedSolutions+ pilots, which are limited to the named communities. Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard customers should confirm eligibility with the Cape Light Compact, which administers demand-response participation for those communities. Rates read off Eversource's Massachusetts business demand-response page on August 5, 2026.
Fitchburg area
Business Battery Rate
Not published
Where It Applies
—
Demand Charge
$8.50-$11.00/kW/month
Enrollment
Direct application to Unitil
Smallest territory in the state. We have not been able to source a Unitil business battery $/kW to a Unitil publication, so no figure appears here. Third-party summaries quote one; none is sourced to the utility. Confirm directly with Unitil before modelling revenue on a Fitchburg-area site.
Revenue Example: 100 kW Commercial Battery
Daily dispatch: 100 kW x $200/kW = $20,000/year before demand charge savings, paid on average curtailment delivered across the summer season. This models the daily-dispatch rate both Massachusetts utilities publish — $200/kW at National Grid and at Eversource alike, so the figure holds across the state rather than in one service territory. There is no winter line here: no Massachusetts utility publishes a winter business battery rate. The only published non-summer business rate is the southeastern Massachusetts pilot's $100/kW shoulder season, and it reaches five towns.
Commercial battery storage in Massachusetts delivers returns through multiple stacked revenue streams. The combination of ConnectedSolutions payments, demand charge reduction, and federal incentives creates a compelling investment case.
2.4-4.0
Years Payback
$104,208.578
10-Year NPV (Low)
$186,260.723
10-Year NPV (High)
10 years / 70% capacity retention
Typical Warranty
Based on $140,000 gross cost, 30% ITC, and $31,500 of year-one revenue — $20,000 of ConnectedSolutions (100 kW x $200/kW) plus $11,500 of demand charge savings, the midpoint of the $8,000-$15,000 range above. Revenue decreases in later years at 2% per year to account for battery capacity fade.
| Year | Cost/Investment | ITC/Revenue | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 0 (Install) | $140,000 | $42,000 | -$98,000 |
| Year 1 | — | $31,500 | -$66,500 |
| Year 2 | — | $30,870 | -$35,630 |
| Year 3 | — | $30,252.6 | -$5,377.4 |
| Year 4 | — | $29,647.548 | $24,270.148 |
| Year 5 | — | $29,054.597 | $53,324.745 |
| Year 6 | — | $28,473.505 | $81,798.25 |
| Year 7 | — | $27,904.035 | $109,702.285 |
| Year 8 | — | $27,345.954 | $137,048.239 |
| Year 9 | — | $26,799.035 | $163,847.275 |
| Year 10 | — | $26,263.055 | $190,110.329 |
Breakeven in Year 4
With the 30% ITC applied at installation and $31,500 of year-one revenue, the system reaches positive cumulative cash flow during Year 4. By Year 10 the cumulative position is $190,110.329 on a $98,000 net investment — a 194% return.
Demand charges account for 30-50% of commercial electricity bills in Massachusetts. These charges are based on your single highest 15-minute demand reading each billing cycle, meaning one brief spike can inflate your entire monthly bill.
Massachusetts utilities bill commercial customers on two components: energy charges (per kWh consumed) and demand charges (per kW of peak demand). Your demand charge is set by your highest 15-minute average power draw in the billing period, regardless of how briefly that peak occurred.
For example, if your building draws 200 kW for just 15 minutes during a hot afternoon but averages 80 kW the rest of the month, you pay demand charges on the full 200 kW. At Eversource's GV rate of $13.75/kW/month, that single spike costs $2,750 in demand charges alone.
Battery storage eliminates these spikes through peak shaving: the battery controller monitors real-time power consumption and automatically discharges when demand approaches a pre-set threshold, effectively capping your peak demand at a lower level.
Rates per kW per month. Rates vary by season, time of use, and rate class. Source: MA DPU utility tariff filings 2025-2026.
Peak Demand
75 kW
$12.50/kW/month/month
Battery Size
50 kW / 200 kWh
Peak shaving mode
Peak Reduction
-35 kW
Saves $437/mo
Annual Savings
$5,250
Demand charge only
Peak Demand
200 kW
$13.75/kW/month/month
Battery Size
100 kW / 400 kWh
Peak shaving mode
Peak Reduction
-80 kW
Saves $1,100/mo
Annual Savings
$13,200
Demand charge only
Peak Demand
500 kW
$15.20/kW/month/month
Battery Size
250 kW / 1,000 kWh
Peak shaving mode
Peak Reduction
-175 kW
Saves $2,660/mo
Annual Savings
$31,920
Demand charge only
Load Profile Analysis Is Critical
Effective peak shaving requires detailed analysis of your building's 15-minute interval data (available from your utility upon request). Key factors include: peak demand magnitude, peak duration and frequency, time-of-use rate windows, seasonal demand patterns, and coincidence of peak demand with ConnectedSolutions dispatch events. NuWatt provides complimentary load profile analysis for all commercial battery assessments, identifying the optimal battery size to maximize combined demand charge savings and ConnectedSolutions revenue.
Pairing battery storage with solar transforms a good investment into a great one. The federal ITC is available to storage either way, but solar+battery systems add the SMART 3.0 battery adder and energy charge savings on top of ConnectedSolutions and demand charge reduction.
Commercial solar panels produce maximum power from 10 AM to 3 PM, but many commercial buildings peak later (3-7 PM) when solar output is declining. Battery storage bridges this gap by storing midday solar surplus and discharging during the late-afternoon peak. This maximizes self-consumption, reduces grid exports, and eliminates demand spikes simultaneously.
Without a battery, excess midday solar is exported at net metering rates (Class II: retail minus minimum charge). With a battery, that same energy is consumed on-site during peak hours, offsetting the full retail rate ($0.22-$0.30/kWh) plus reducing demand charges. The value of self-consumed solar is typically 50-80% higher than exported solar.
The Section 48E Investment Tax Credit applies to battery storage in its own right — energy storage technology is a qualifying category under Section 48E(c)(2), with no solar-pairing or solar-charging requirement. On a bundled build the base 30% ITC applies to the combined cost of solar panels, inverters, battery, and installation. Additional bonus adders may apply:
A $300,000 solar+battery system with 30% base ITC saves $90,000 in federal taxes. With domestic content and energy community adders (50% total), the savings jump to $150,000.
Massachusetts allows commercial solar+battery systems to participate in both SMART 3.0 and ConnectedSolutions simultaneously. The SMART 3.0 program offers a battery storage adder for systems that pair solar with on-site storage, providing additional per-kWh incentive payments over the 20-year SMART term.
DOER lists that adder — the Energy Storage Multiplier — at $0.04/kWh in the Program Year 2026 adder-rate table on mass.gov. Treat it as the published rate rather than as a quote: the value a specific project earns is settled by DOER's Program Year 2026 Energy Storage Adder Calculator workbook, which weighs the battery's power and duration against the paired solar. Model the storage line from that workbook, not from the headline figure.
The key to successful stacking is coordinating dispatch priorities. During ConnectedSolutions events, the battery prioritizes grid dispatch (earning $200/kW on National Grid Daily Dispatch). Outside of events, the battery focuses on demand charge management and solar self-consumption optimization. The SMART 3.0 production incentive is based on solar output regardless of whether the energy passes through the battery.
Dispatch Priority Order:
MACRS Depreciation: 100% First-Year Bonus (Permanent)
Commercial battery+solar systems qualify for 5-year MACRS accelerated depreciation. Under OBBBA, 100% first-year bonus depreciation is permanently available for property placed in service after January 19, 2025. The depreciable basis is reduced by half the ITC amount. For a $300,000 system with 30% ITC, the depreciable basis is $255,000, with the entire $255,000 deductible in Year 1 via bonus depreciation. This significantly accelerates the tax benefit and improves Year 1 cash flow. See our full MACRS depreciation guide.
Choosing the right commercial battery depends on your facility size, load profile, and whether you are pairing with solar. All equipment below is ConnectedSolutions-certified and eligible for the federal Section 48E ITC, standalone or solar-paired.
Capacity
100 kWh - 3.9 MWh per unit
Power
50 kW - 1.9 MW
Chemistry
LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate)
Warranty
15 years
ConnectedSolutions
CertifiedLarge commercial and industrial facilities. Modular scaling from 100 kWh to multi-MWh.
Installed Price Range
$800-$1,000/kWh installed
Capacity
10.5 kWh per unit (stackable to 168 kWh)
Power
3.84 kW per unit
Chemistry
LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate)
Warranty
15 years
ConnectedSolutions
CertifiedSmall-to-mid commercial with existing Enphase microinverter systems. Modular design.
Installed Price Range
$900-$1,200/kWh installed
Capacity
50-250 kWh per rack
Power
25-125 kW per rack
Chemistry
LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate)
Warranty
10 years
ConnectedSolutions
CertifiedMid-size commercial. Excellent power density and competitive pricing. Pairs well with SMA and SolarEdge inverters.
Installed Price Range
$700-$900/kWh installed
Capacity
500 kWh - 100+ MWh
Power
250 kW - 50+ MW
Chemistry
LFP / NMC options
Warranty
20 years (with augmentation)
ConnectedSolutions
Grid-scale enrollmentUtility-scale and large industrial. Front-of-meter and large behind-the-meter projects.
Installed Price Range
$500-$750/kWh installed
Collect 12-15 months of 15-minute interval data from your utility meter. This reveals your actual demand profile.
Identify peak demand events: magnitude (kW), duration (minutes), frequency, and seasonality.
Define your target peak demand ceiling. Typically 30-50% below current peak for optimal battery ROI.
Battery kW = Current Peak - Target Peak. This determines the discharge rate needed during peaks.
Battery kWh = Battery kW x Peak Duration (hours). Rule of thumb: 3-4x the kW rating for commercial applications.
Commercial Solar MA 2026
Full guide: ITC 30-70%, SMART 3.0, MACRS, financing
Demand Charge & Battery Calculator
Interactive ROI calculator for commercial battery storage
ConnectedSolutions Business Rates (MA & RI)
The commercial $/kW rates, read off each utility's own business page
ConnectedSolutions Battery (Residential)
The homeowner side of the same program
MACRS Depreciation Guide 2026
5-year MACRS + 100% first-year bonus depreciation for solar & battery
Common questions about commercial battery storage and ConnectedSolutions in Massachusetts.
ConnectedSolutions is Massachusetts’ utility-run demand response program that pays commercial battery owners to discharge stored energy back to the grid during peak demand events. When the grid is stressed, your utility sends a dispatch signal and your battery discharges automatically. National Grid publishes three business battery offerings on its Massachusetts business programme page: $200 per kW for Daily Dispatch, $275 per kW for batteries with inverter capacity under 50 kW, and $45 per kW for Targeted Dispatch. Daily Dispatch runs 30-60 events of 2-3 hours across June through September. For a 100 kW commercial battery on Daily Dispatch that is $20,000 a year. Eversource pays the same $200 per kW statewide, which it calls daily curtailment, across 30 to 60 events from June 1 through September 30 — so that $20,000 figure holds in either utility's territory. Eversource's targeted-dispatch track pays $45 per kW plus a $10 per kW weekend bonus, and its two ConnectedSolutions+ pilots pay more still — $250 per kW around Greater Boston and $275 per kW in southeastern Massachusetts — but only in ten named towns and neighbourhoods. Payment is calculated on average kilowatts actually delivered across the season, not on the battery's nameplate. National Grid and pilot figures verified against the utilities' own business pages on August 3, 2026; Eversource's statewide rates on August 5, 2026.
Get a free load profile analysis and custom battery+solar proposal. Our team will identify your optimal system size, ConnectedSolutions revenue potential, and projected ROI.