Why Front Range homeowners are adding batteries now
In December 2025, Xcel Energy cut power to about 50,000 customers across Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties to reduce wildfire risk. In March 2026 it did it again to roughly 18,000 customers, most of them in Boulder County. Those shutoffs lasted anywhere from a day to three days or more.
Solar panels alone don’t help during a shutoff: a grid-tied inverter shuts down when the grid does, for the safety of line crews. A battery with a transfer switch is what keeps your furnace blower, fridge, well pump or medical equipment running.
The 5–9 pm problem on Xcel bills
Since November 2025, most Xcel residential customers with smart meters default to time-of-use pricing with an on-peak window of 5 to 9 pm on non-holiday weekdays, year-round. On-peak power costs about 2.7 times the off-peak rate. That’s exactly when families cook, run laundry and plug in the car.
A battery charged from your panels (or cheap midday grid power) can carry the house through that window. How much that saves depends on your evening usage, so we model it with your actual bill rather than a generic percentage.
What batteries cost, and what’s still left to help pay for them
Our current installed pricing: Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5 kWh) about $19,000 for the first and $12,000 for each additional; Enphase IQ Battery about $17,000 for the first 10 kWh; SigEnergy $15,500 for the first 9 kWh plus $3,500 per additional 9 kWh module.
Colorado offers a 10% income-tax credit on the purchase price of a home battery (equipment, tax and freight — not labor or permits) for tax years 2023 through 2026, under C.R.S. 39-22-546. It’s nonrefundable, so it only helps if you owe Colorado income tax, unless you assign it to the seller. Residential batteries are also exempt from state sales and use tax through January 1, 2033.
Some utilities add their own rebate. Fort Collins Utilities offers $300 per kWh up to $6,000 for solar-paired batteries of at least 6 kWh, and Xcel has reopened its Renewable Battery Connect program, which pays upfront in exchange for letting Xcel draw on your battery during grid events. Program amounts change; check current terms before counting on them.
How long will a battery actually run my house?
One 13.5 kWh battery will not run central air, an electric range and a dryer for three days. It can keep a fridge, furnace blower, lights, internet and a few outlets going for a day or more, and longer if solar recharges it during the day. Well pumps and medical devices are very doable if we size for them.
We start with the list of what you can’t live without, then size the battery count to your target — whether that’s riding through an evening outage or a 72-hour shutoff.
FAQ
Questions we hear
Does the Colorado battery tax credit end in 2026?
As of September 2026, the 10% credit under C.R.S. 39-22-546 covers tax years 2023 through 2026, and the statute repeals on January 1, 2027. Ask your tax preparer how purchase and installation dates line up with your 2026 return.
Is there still a federal tax credit for home batteries?
Not for batteries you own — the homeowner credit (§25D) ended after 2025. If a leasing company owns the battery, it may be able to claim the business credit for storage, which runs longer than solar’s. Verify current terms before relying on it.
Can a battery run my well pump during an outage?
Usually yes, if we size for the pump’s starting surge and not just its running watts. Tell us the pump’s horsepower and voltage and we’ll check it against the inverter’s surge rating.
Powerwall, Enphase or SigEnergy — which should I get?
Powerwall 3 has the most capacity per unit and a built-in solar inverter. Enphase fits naturally with Enphase microinverter systems. SigEnergy is modular in 9 kWh steps and can add a bidirectional EV charger. We’ll recommend one based on your existing equipment and backup goals.
If I join Xcel’s battery program, will my battery be empty when the power goes out?
Programs like Renewable Battery Connect let the utility draw on part of your battery during a limited number of events a year, and keep a reserve for you. Read the event and reserve limits in the current program terms before enrolling.