Battery Revenue Programs

Commercial battery storage solutions are gaining momentum in 2026, driven by state policies, utility incentives, federal tax credits, and growing needs for energy cost management, peak shaving, backup power, and grid resilience.  Rising demand from data centers and general electrification will further accelerate these trends.

Key Incentives and Policies:

Governments are offering support for behind-the-meter (customer-side) commercial and industrial (C&I) battery energy storage systems (BESS), often paired with solar.  For eample, in Illinois, The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act, signed into law in early 2026, mandates adding 3 GW of energy storage by 2030 (mostly utility-scale but with benefits rippling to distributed systems). It includes updated rebates, a Virtual Power Plant program (where batteries can earn extra revenue by supporting the grid), and long-term cost savings for consumers.

Main incentives for commercial projects include Distributed Generation (DG) Rebate / Smart Inverter Rebate (via ComEd or Ameren): Typically $250/kWh for energy storage (often paired with $250/kW for solar). This applies primarily to C&I and larger systems, with some sources noting up to $300/kWh in certain cases. Programs may require participation in demand response or real-time pricing.
Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC): 30% of costs for standalone or solar-paired storage (though some federal incentives phase out post-2025).

Other benefits: Accelerated depreciation (MACRS), property tax exemptions, C-PACE financing for long-term loans, and demand response credits from utilities like ComEd and Ameren (e.g., earning payments for using stored energy during peaks).

Note: Some programs (e.g., certain loans) were paused in 2025 but may see updates in 2026.  Contact Humble for more information on current programs and availability.

Applications and Benefits

Commercial systems are used for:

Peak shaving → Reduce high demand charges.

Backup power → Prevent downtime during outages.

Demand response → Earn credits by discharging during grid stress.

Solar optimization → Store excess generation for later use.

These are especially valuable for manufacturing, warehouses, data centers, and large facilities.  The market is evolving quickly with strong policy support.  Contact Humble to explore options for your business!