The storms that hit New Jersey over the July 4th weekend knocked out power for nearly 800,000 homes at their peak. Some families barely noticed. They had a solar battery backup keeping the house running. If you live in NJ and want that kind of peace of mind, this guide is for you.
A battery like the Tesla Powerwall stores the energy your panels make during the day. When the grid goes down, your home keeps running on that stored power. You also get to use your own solar after sunset instead of buying it back from the utility.
Why more NJ homeowners want battery backup in 2026
Summer storms keep getting stronger across the Garden State. During the July 4th event, wind gusts hit 70 mph at Newark. JCP&L reported more than 185,000 customers without power. PSE&G had roughly 48,000 in the dark.
Morris and Monmouth counties took the worst of it. Each saw tens of thousands of outages. For anyone with medical equipment, a home office, or young kids, a multi-day blackout is a lot more than an inconvenience.
Here is the catch. Solar panels alone will not power your home during a blackout. For safety, a standard grid-tied system shuts off when the grid fails. A battery changes that. It lets your solar keep the house running while crews work to restore service.
What a home battery actually powers
One Tesla Powerwall holds 13.5 kWh of usable energy. That comfortably covers your essentials. Think refrigerator, lights, Wi-Fi, phone chargers, and key outlets.
Want to run central air conditioning or electric heat through an outage? Those loads pull a lot of power. Most homes need two or more batteries for true whole-home backup. During your site visit, we size the system around the loads that matter most to you.
How long will a battery last in an outage?
A single 13.5 kWh battery powers essential loads for roughly 10 to 15 hours. Your exact runtime depends on what you keep switched on.
Now for the part people miss. When you pair the battery with solar, your panels recharge it every day. The battery carries you through the night, and your roof refills it each morning. That daily cycle can keep essentials running for days during a long outage.
The Powerwall also watches the forecast. When severe weather is coming, Storm Watch charges the battery to full, so you are ready before the first gust arrives.
A battery also lowers your everyday bill
Backup power is only half the story. Batteries help on normal days too.
New Jersey uses full-retail net metering. Your extra solar earns credit at the same rate you pay for power. A battery lets you store that midday production and spend it at night, so you pull less from the grid.
Time-of-use pricing sweetens the deal. PSE&G launched a residential time-of-use rate in June 2026. Off-peak and on-peak prices can differ by 8 to 12 cents per kWh. Your battery charges when power is cheap, then discharges when it turns expensive.
New Jersey incentives for solar and storage in 2026
The Garden State stacks several incentives that bring your cost down. None of them rely on any federal credit.
SuSI SREC-II payments: New Jersey pays you for the power your system produces. That works out to roughly $680 a year for 15 years.
Sales and property tax exemptions: You pay no sales tax on your system. The added home value stays exempt from property tax, too.
Full net metering: Your utility credits your surplus solar at the retail rate, not a discounted one.
Garden State Energy Storage Program: New Jersey approved this program to reward battery storage. The residential phase should open later in 2026. We follow it closely and will tell you what you qualify for.
Is battery backup worth it for your NJ home?
Your answer depends on what you value. If reliable power during storms matters to you, backup is often worth it. The same goes if rising rates have you wanting more control over your bill.
Infinity Energy is a Tesla Powerwall certified installer based in Mahwah, NJ. We have completed more than 10,000 installations across the tri-state area. Our in-house crews handle the solar, the battery, and any roof work under one roof.
Strong warranties back your equipment. Panels carry a 25-year warranty, and our workmanship warranty runs 5 years. We also offer $0 down financing, so you can start without a big upfront check.
Curious what battery backup would look like for your home? Reach out for a free, no-pressure quote, and we will size a system around your home and your budget.
