Multifamily energy storage, underwritten as an NOI line.
For garden apartments, BTR communities, HOA and condo associations: a correctly sized battery on the owner-paid meters can reduce billed demand, earn state program payments, and anchor the property’s energy operating case. NOI underwrites the property first — tariff, load and program — then structures, delivers and operates.
Where storage earns in a multifamily property.
Demand charges on the common meters
Clubhouse, pool, elevators, EV charging and HVAC banks set the billed peak on owner-paid commercial meters. A correctly sized and operated battery may reduce the peak the utility records.
State program payments
Where a verified program exists, commercial batteries are paid on measured seasonal performance, not on installed nameplate. In Connecticut, Energy Storage Solutions pays $325/kW for small and medium classifications and $275/kW for large in years 1–5, then $175/kW in years 6–10. Events run one to three hours, so installed kW alone is not revenue. Program receipts, project costs and the owner's contracted share are kept separate.
The stack with solar
On-site use, grid export, and — for communities where the owner holds the meters — modeled resident energy sales as a third destination. Which destinations apply is a per-property design decision.
Whether savings or program payments reach property NOI depends on the tariff, dispatch performance, leases, expense recoveries and the executed agreement.
A short operating peak can affect a full month of demand charges.
On commercial tariffs with billed-demand charges, a short interval of high load may materially affect that month’s utility cost. A correctly sized and operated battery may reduce the peak recorded by the utility. Whether that value reaches property NOI depends on the tariff, dispatch performance, leases and expense recoveries.
See the full battery-storage caseWithout storage dispatch
A short load spike creates the highest metered interval in this illustrative billing period.
Illustrative billed peak · 470 kW
With modeled storage dispatch
The modeled control strategy attempts to reduce qualifying peaks within the battery’s power, energy and state-of-charge constraints.
Illustrative billed peak · 320 kW
150 kW lower modeled peak in this example
The load shape decides, not the property label.
- 01One owner-paid commercial meter
- 02A spiky load — clubhouse, pool, elevators, EV charging, HVAC banks
- 03Roughly 20–500 kW at community scale
- 04A live, verified program in the state
Out of scope: single-family homes, and sites without an owner-paid meter.
Two ways to fund it.
Own it outright
You invest and keep the full modeled revenue stack from bill savings, eligible program payments and asset value—project-specific and evaluated per site.
Finance it
Explore financing, including C-PACE where eligible. We coordinate the project and assess financing costs, approvals and program benefits together.
One advisor, two doors. Installers can only sell you their one.
Multifamily battery storage questions
Does my building qualify?
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The load shape decides, not the property label: one owner-paid commercial meter, a spiky load, roughly 20 to 500 kW, and a live verified program in your state. Garden apartments, BTR communities, HOA and condo associations with clubhouse, pool, gatehouse, elevator, EV charging or HVAC load on owner-paid meters are the common fit.
What does it cost me?
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Your capital requirement depends on the funding and ownership structure agreed after underwriting. Owner-funded, financed and third-party-funded projects have different costs, responsibilities and benefit allocations.
Can HOAs and condo associations do this?
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Often yes, on association-owned common areas where the association holds the commercial meter. Tax-exempt entities may be able to use federal elective-pay rules to make energy credits usable; eligibility is evaluated per project and this is not tax advice.
Do residents benefit?
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In communities where the owner holds the meters, modeled resident energy sales can be a third destination for on-site generation. Whether that path is available depends on leases, metering and state rules, and it is a per-property design decision.
More questions? Read the full FAQ or talk to us.