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We can help your business or home have a battery installed with the following battery storage incentive programs:
When a business or residence installs a battery in New Jersey, New York or Nationwide, the owner is able to file a federal income tax credit. The federal income tax credit, as of 2024, is 30%.
Learn MoreState, utility and regional incentives for battery storage in NJ and NY changes over time. Please contact us to discuss the latest incentives available.
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When the power goes out in New Jersey, a home battery can keep your lights on, your refrigerator running, and your family connected. But the question every homeowner asks is the same: how long will it actually last? The answer depends on your battery's capacity, how much energy your household draws, and whether solar panels can recharge the system during daylight hours.
As of February 26, 2026: Home battery systems typically range from 5 kWh to 20+ kWh of usable capacity, with most NJ installations in the 10-15 kWh range.
At a glance:
Official sources (last checked: February 26, 2026):
A standard 13.5 kWh home battery powers essential loads for approximately 10 to 15 hours during a typical outage. That estimate assumes you are running a refrigerator, LED lights, Wi-Fi router, phone chargers, and a few small devices drawing a combined 0.9 to 1.3 kW. If you try to power your entire house including central air conditioning, an electric range, and a clothes dryer, that same battery may last only 2 to 4 hours.
The key variable is your load — the total wattage of everything running at the same time. A battery does not care whether it is a blackout or a sunny Tuesday. It simply delivers stored energy until it is empty or reaches its minimum state of charge (usually 5-10% reserved to protect battery health).
Claim: Most homeowners overestimate how much energy their essential loads require, leading them to oversize their battery systems.
Evidence: A refrigerator draws roughly 100-200W on average (cycling on and off), LED lighting for a whole house runs 100-300W, and a Wi-Fi router plus phone chargers add about 50W. Combined, essential loads typically total 0.5-1.5 kW — well within the output range of a single battery unit.
Three factors determine battery backup duration: usable capacity (measured in kWh), continuous power output (measured in kW), and your household load during the outage. Understanding each one helps you predict runtime accurately.
Battery manufacturers list total capacity, but usable capacity is what matters. Most lithium batteries reserve 5-10% to prevent deep discharge damage. A battery rated at 13.5 kWh may deliver 12.1 to 12.8 kWh of actual energy before shutting off.
Batteries have two power ratings. Continuous output (typically 5-11.5 kW for residential units) is how much they can sustain over time. Peak output (often 2x continuous for short bursts) handles startup surges from motors like well pumps and AC compressors. If your load exceeds continuous output, the battery may shut down to protect itself.
Your load profile changes throughout the day. Morning and evening loads spike when cooking, lighting, and HVAC run simultaneously. Overnight loads drop as lights go off and only the refrigerator, sump pump (cycling), and standby electronics draw power.
Claim: Continuous power output matters more than raw capacity for households with high-draw appliances like well pumps or sump pumps.
Evidence: A well pump may draw 1-2 kW when running. If the battery's continuous output is 5 kW and you are already drawing 4 kW from other loads, the pump's startup surge (often 3-4x running watts) can exceed the battery's peak rating and trigger a shutdown — even though plenty of stored energy remains.
To calculate runtime, divide your battery's usable capacity by your average load: Runtime (hours) = Usable Capacity (kWh) / Average Load (kW). This gives you a practical estimate of how many hours your battery will last.
Here is a step-by-step process:
Example: A battery with 12.8 kWh usable capacity powering a 1.2 kW load: 12.8 / 1.2 = 10.7 hours. After a 10% efficiency adjustment: roughly 9.6 hours of real-world backup.
Claim: Inverter efficiency losses reduce real-world battery runtime by 10-15% compared to the simple capacity-divided-by-load calculation.
Evidence: Batteries store DC energy and must convert it to AC for household use. This DC-to-AC conversion through the inverter loses 5-10% of the energy as heat. Additional losses from battery management systems, standby draw, and round-trip efficiency bring the total reduction to 10-15% in typical conditions.
A 10 kWh battery powers essentials for about 7 to 10 hours, while a 20 kWh system stretches that to 14 to 20 hours. The table below shows estimated runtimes for common battery sizes at different load levels, after accounting for 90% usable capacity and 90% inverter efficiency.
| Battery Size (Total) | Usable Energy (kWh) | Essentials Only (0.8 kW) | Essentials + Sump Pump (1.5 kW) | Moderate Load (3 kW) | Whole House (5 kW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 kWh | 4.1 | ~5 hours | ~2.7 hours | ~1.4 hours | <1 hour |
| 10 kWh | 8.1 | ~10 hours | ~5.4 hours | ~2.7 hours | ~1.6 hours |
| 13.5 kWh | 10.9 | ~13.7 hours | ~7.3 hours | ~3.6 hours | ~2.2 hours |
| 20 kWh | 16.2 | ~20 hours | ~10.8 hours | ~5.4 hours | ~3.2 hours |
| 30 kWh (2 units) | 24.3 | ~30 hours | ~16.2 hours | ~8.1 hours | ~4.9 hours |
| 40 kWh (3 units) | 32.4 | ~40+ hours | ~21.6 hours | ~10.8 hours | ~6.5 hours |
Assumptions: 90% depth of discharge, 90% round-trip/inverter efficiency. Essentials = refrigerator, LED lights, Wi-Fi, phone chargers. Sump pump adds ~0.5-0.7 kW average (cycling). Whole house includes HVAC fan, cooking, laundry.
Claim: A single 13.5 kWh battery is sufficient for overnight essential-load backup in most New Jersey homes.
Evidence: At a typical essential load of 0.8-1.2 kW (refrigerator, lights, Wi-Fi, chargers), a 13.5 kWh battery delivers 10.9 kWh of usable energy after depth-of-discharge and efficiency losses. That translates to 9-13.7 hours of runtime — enough to cover a full overnight outage from 6 PM to 6 AM. Homes with sump pumps or medical equipment should consider 20+ kWh to maintain a safety margin.
Yes, you can extend battery backup time by reducing your load, pairing with solar panels, or stacking multiple battery units. Even simple behavioral changes during an outage can add hours of runtime.
Turn off everything nonessential. Unplug phantom loads (chargers, TVs on standby, gaming consoles). Switch to LED flashlights instead of powering every room light. Avoid opening the refrigerator frequently — a closed fridge stays cold for 4 to 6 hours even without power.
A solar-plus-battery system recharges during daylight outages. On a clear day in New Jersey, a 7 kW solar array can produce 25-35 kWh — enough to refill most residential batteries and power daytime loads simultaneously. This can extend backup from hours to days.
Most battery systems allow adding a second or third unit. Two 13.5 kWh batteries give you 27 kWh total — roughly 24 to 34 hours of essential-load backup. The trade-off is cost, which typically runs an additional $10,000 to $15,000 per unit installed.
Claim: Pairing solar with battery storage can provide effectively unlimited backup during daytime outages in New Jersey.
Evidence: New Jersey averages about 4.5 peak sun hours per day annually. A 7 kW solar array producing roughly 31.5 kWh on a clear day can fully recharge a 13.5 kWh battery while simultaneously powering 1-2 kW of daytime loads. As long as daily solar production exceeds daily consumption, the system cycles indefinitely through multi-day outages.
Prioritize the refrigerator, medical equipment, sump pump (if flooding is a risk), lighting in key rooms, and internet/communication devices. Everything else is optional and should be weighed against how many hours of backup you need.
Here is a practical priority list for New Jersey homeowners:
Avoid running electric water heaters, clothes dryers, electric ovens, or central AC unless you have 20+ kWh of storage and solar recharging. These high-draw appliances can drain a battery in under 2 hours.
Claim: A sump pump should be near the top of every New Jersey homeowner's battery backup priority list.
Evidence: NJ experiences frequent nor'easters and heavy rain events that cause both power outages and flooding simultaneously. Without a functioning sump pump, a basement can take on several inches of water per hour during heavy rain. The cost of basement water damage typically exceeds $5,000 to $10,000 — far more than the incremental cost of sizing a battery to handle sump pump loads.
Solar recharging can extend a single battery's backup from 10-15 hours to multiple days during a daytime outage. In New Jersey, solar production varies by season, cloud cover, and array size, but even partial recharging meaningfully extends runtime.
During a summer outage with clear skies, a typical NJ solar system (6-10 kW) produces 25-45 kWh per day. That is enough to fully recharge a 13.5 kWh battery and still power daytime loads. In winter or on cloudy days, production drops to 10-20 kWh, which may only partially refill the battery — but still adds valuable hours of backup.
Important: solar panels alone do not provide backup power during an outage. Grid-tied solar systems shut down during blackouts for safety (to prevent backfeed that could harm utility workers). You need a battery with a transfer switch or a hybrid inverter to use solar during an outage.
Claim: Grid-tied solar panels without a battery provide zero backup power during an outage.
Evidence: NEC and IEEE 1547 standards require grid-tied inverters to disconnect within 2 seconds of detecting a grid outage (anti-islanding protection). This is a safety requirement to prevent energized lines from harming utility line workers. Only systems with a battery and transfer switch (or a hybrid inverter with islanding capability) can operate independently during a blackout.
Yes, a home battery is worth the investment for outage protection if you experience frequent outages, have a sump pump or medical equipment, or want peace of mind during storm season. The cost typically ranges from $12,000 to $20,000 installed for a single unit.
Note that the federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) has been repealed, so the 30% tax credit that previously applied to battery storage is no longer available. However, the NJ Board of Public Utilities has approved the Garden State Energy Storage Program, which may provide state-level incentives. Check with NJBPU for current program status and eligibility.
Beyond outage protection, batteries can provide value through time-of-use rate arbitrage (charging when electricity is cheap, discharging when rates peak) and demand charge reduction if your utility offers those rate structures.
Claim: Even without the federal tax credit, a home battery can pay for itself through outage protection value alone in storm-prone areas of New Jersey.
Evidence: A single multi-day outage can cost a NJ homeowner $1,000-$5,000+ in spoiled food, hotel stays, basement water damage (if the sump pump fails), and lost productivity. Homes in coastal and flood-prone areas of NJ that experience 2-3 significant outages per year accumulate outage costs that approach the battery's installed price within 5-8 years — within the battery's expected 10-15 year lifespan.
A 10 kWh battery powers essential loads (refrigerator, lights, Wi-Fi, phone chargers) for approximately 7 to 10 hours. After accounting for 90% usable capacity and inverter efficiency losses, you get about 8.1 kWh of real energy. At a typical essential load of 0.8-1.2 kW, that delivers 7 to 10 hours of backup.
Most single-battery systems can start and run a central AC unit briefly, but it will drain the battery quickly. Central AC draws 3-5 kW continuously. A 13.5 kWh battery would last only 2 to 3 hours running AC exclusively. If you need AC during outages, consider stacking two or more batteries and pairing them with solar.
Yes, but only if your system has a battery with a transfer switch or hybrid inverter. Standard grid-tied solar shuts down during outages for safety. With the right setup, solar panels recharge the battery during daylight hours, potentially extending backup through multi-day outages.
For true whole-house backup including HVAC, cooking, and laundry, most NJ homes need 2 to 3 battery units (27-40+ kWh total) plus solar for recharging. For essential-loads-only backup lasting 10-15 hours, a single 13.5 kWh unit is typically sufficient.
When the battery reaches its minimum state of charge (typically 5-10%), it shuts down to protect its cells from damage. Your home then goes dark until grid power returns or solar production recharges the battery above the minimum threshold. The battery does not suffer permanent damage from reaching its cutoff point — it is a designed safety feature.
Claim: A fully depleted home battery does not suffer permanent damage when it reaches its low-voltage cutoff.
Evidence: Modern lithium battery management systems (BMS) automatically disconnect the cells at a preset minimum state of charge (typically 5-10%). This prevents the deep discharge that damages lithium cells. Once grid power returns or solar production resumes, the battery recharges normally with no loss of long-term capacity from the shutdown event.
The right home battery gives you hours — or even days — of reliable power when the grid goes down. Whether you need essentials-only backup for overnight outages or whole-house protection for multi-day storms, the math is straightforward: know your load, size your capacity, and pair with solar for extended coverage.
Powerlutions helps New Jersey homeowners design and install battery backup systems sized for real-world outage scenarios. Contact us for a free assessment of your home's backup power needs and a custom quote.
Claim: Professional battery sizing based on actual load data outperforms generic recommendations.
Evidence: A professional installer reviews your electrical panel, identifies critical circuits, measures actual load profiles, and accounts for local factors like sump pump duty cycles during NJ storm season. This produces a system sized to your specific needs rather than an industry average — avoiding both undersizing (running out during an outage) and oversizing (paying for capacity you never use).
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