Photovoltaic plus energy storage case

Are solar PV and battery energy storage systems a good investment?

With rapidly falling solar PV and battery energy storage costs (U.S. Energy Storage Monitor: Q3 2018 Full Report, 2018, U.S. Energy Storage Monitor: Q3 2018 Full Report, 2018), there is a growing interest in using behind-the-meter, grid-connected solar PV and energy storage systems for energy and demand savings.

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.

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.

Are lithium-ion batteries a viable alternative to a solar-plus-storage system?

Nottrot et al. optimized an idealized solar-plus-storage system to achieve a preset amount of load peak shaving and found that the system’s NPV decreased significantly with forecasting data ( Nottrott et al., 2013 ). Basing their model on 2011, they predicted lithium-ion batteries would be financially viable in the range of $400-500/kWh.

Where are solar-plus-storage systems most cost-effective?

The highest potential for savings was found in California, New York, New Mexico, and Alaska. Across all scenarios modeled, solar-plus-storage systems were most often cost-effective in San Francisco, Anaheim, and Los Angeles. These locations have both good solar resource and relatively high demand rates.

How do solar-plus-storage rates affect energy savings?

Solar generation primarily provides energy savings, while storage primarily provided demand savings, so both components of the rate affect expected savings of solar-plus-storage systems. Fig. 9, Fig. 10 show how savings increase as these components of the rate increase. Fig. 9.