Are solar-plus-storage projects economically viable?

Technology cost and utility rate structure are key drivers of economic viability of solar and storage systems. This paper explores the economics of solar-plus-storage projects for commercial-scale, behind-the-meter applications. It provides insight into the near-term and future solar-plus-storage market opportunities across the U.S.

Will the solar-plus-storage market grow?

At the lowest technology cost point modeled, solar-plus-storage is economical in 10 of the 17 locations and in all of the 16 building types modeled. This suggests that the solar-plus-storage market will grow significantly if solar and storage costs continue to decline as expected in the future.

Will increasing utility rates increase solar-plus-storage savings?

This suggests that, similar to falling technology costs, increasing utility rates will result in a larger number of solar-plus-storage systems, larger system sizes, and increased savings from each system. On average, savings were highest for projects that combined both solar and storage (see Fig. 13 ).

Can solar-plus-storage meet rising demand without gas?

Energy Innovation analysis shows clean energy can come online fast enough to meet rising demand without needing gas to fill the gap, and solar-plus-storage has stepped up.

How much will solar and battery storage cost in 2035?

But solar and battery storage costs have both fallen around 90% over the last decade. By 2035, solar costs could fall nearly 10% and battery storage costs could fall nearly 50%. “New solar plants, even without subsidies, are within touching distance of new U.S. gas plants,” said BloombergNEF’s Amar Vasdev.

Can distributed solar PV paired with battery energy storage be used in commercial buildings?

This work focuses on the emerging market for distributed solar PV paired with battery energy storage (“solar-plus-storage”) in commercial buildings across the United States.