To take part you generally need to be a LUMA Energy customer, be enrolled in Net Metering, have an approved solar battery from a compatible brand (for example Tesla Powerwall, Enphase, Fortress Power, among others), and have a stable internet connection for monitoring and communication. A certified installer confirms your eligibility and handles the official enrollment for you.

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How much does LUMA pay to share your battery? Guide to the CBES program 2026

Q: What is the CBES program?

CBES stands for Customer Battery Energy Sharing. It is a virtual power plant: instead of building a costly new power plant for peak demand, LUMA connects thousands of residential batteries and draws a little energy from each one exactly when the grid needs it most. For you, the battery owner, it means getting paid for stored energy you already have and mostly are not using, while you keep control of how much you share and maintain a reserve for your own home.

Q: How much does it pay exactly?

The main payment is $1.00 for every kWh your battery discharges to the grid during a program event. On top of that, you keep earning net metering credits for the energy you export. Payments are processed quarterly. That $1.00 rate is considerably higher than most comparable programs on the U.S. mainland, which is one reason Puerto Rico is one of the best places in the world to own a solar battery.

Q: When does LUMA use my battery?

Events usually happen during peak-demand evenings, between 7:00 and 11:00 p.m., from April to November (the hottest season), excluding holidays and severe weather. It is not constant: these are occasional moments when the grid is under pressure.

Q: Is it safe? Will I be left without backup?

You are not left without backup. You set a minimum reserve level so your home always keeps emergency energy. In addition, the program shares energy during expected peak hours, not during an outage or an emergency.

Independent guide · Updated in 2026 · Not affiliated with LUMA Energy

If you own a solar battery in Puerto Rico, LUMA's Customer Battery Energy Sharing (CBES) program pays you for sharing part of your energy with the grid. Here we explain, in plain words, how much it pays, how it works and who qualifies.

The essentials: LUMA pays $1.00 for every kWh your battery shares with the grid, plus net metering credits, and payments arrive every quarter. Enrolling is free.

What is the CBES program?

CBES stands for Customer Battery Energy Sharing. It is what's known as a virtual power plant: instead of building a costly new power plant for moments of peak demand, LUMA connects thousands of residential batteries and asks each for a little energy at a time, right when the grid needs it most.

For you, the battery owner, it means getting paid for energy you already have stored and that you're not using most of the time. You still decide how much energy you allow to be shared, and you keep a reserve for your own home.

How much does it pay exactly?

The main payment is $1.00 for every kWh your battery discharges to the grid during a program event. On top of that, you keep earning net metering credits for the energy you export. Payments are processed quarterly.

To put that $1.00 in context: it's a considerably higher rate than most comparable programs on the U.S. mainland, where many pay a fraction of that. It's one of the reasons Puerto Rico is today one of the best places in the world to own a solar battery.

A rough example

Imagine your battery shares around 10 kWh in each event, and the program activates several dozen times over the season. That volume, at $1.00 per kWh, can add up to several hundred dollars a year — and LUMA has reported that many participants earn thousands. The real figure depends on the size of your battery and how many times the program activates, so treat it as a reference, not a promise.

Let's be honest: the program does not pay for a new battery on its own (which usually costs thousands of dollars). What it does is improve the return on a battery that's worth having in Puerto Rico anyway — for backup during outages and for savings on your bill. It's backup that also generates income, not an investment that pays for itself.

When does LUMA use my battery?

Events generally happen during peak-demand evenings, between 7:00 and 11:00 p.m., from April to November (the hottest season), excluding holidays and severe weather situations. It's not constant: these are specific moments when the grid is under pressure.

Who qualifies?

To take part in LUMA's program, you generally need:

Requirement	Detail
LUMA customer	Your electricity account is with LUMA Energy.
Net metering	Being enrolled in the Net Metering program.
Approved battery	A solar battery from a compatible brand (for example Tesla Powerwall, Enphase, Fortress Power, among others).
Stable internet	The system needs a connection for monitoring and communication.

A certified installer confirms your eligibility and handles the official enrollment for you. You don't have to navigate the process alone.

Is it safe? Will I be left without backup?

You are not left without backup. You set a minimum reserve level, so your home always keeps emergency energy. What's more, the program shares energy during expected peak hours — not during an outage or an emergency.

How do I get started?

If you already have a battery, the next step is to confirm your eligibility and enroll with a certified installer. If you don't have a battery yet, an installer can give you an estimate of how much you could earn and save based on your usage. Either way, the first step is the same:

Find out how much your battery can earn

Answer 4 questions and a certified installer in Puerto Rico reviews your case, with no obligation.

See my estimate →

Notice: This is an independent, informational guide. We are not LUMA Energy or a government agency. This page may contain affiliate links. The program's figures and conditions are approximate and change over time; always confirm the current terms directly with LUMA or a certified installer before enrolling. This does not constitute financial advice.