Benefits of solar plus energy storage

What are the benefits of solar-plus-storage?

Among other benefits, it can help maintain the stability of the electric grid, shift energy from times of peak production to peak consumption, and limit spikes in energy demand. Solar-plus-storage shifts some of the solar system's output to evening and night hours and provides other grid benefits.

How does solar-plus-storage affect energy systems?

Solar-plus-storage shifts some of the solar system's output to evening and night hours and provides other grid benefits. NREL employs a variety of analysis approaches to understand the factors that influence solar-plus-storage deployment and how solar-plus-storage will affect energy systems.

What is a solar-plus-storage system?

Most people rely on electricity from the power grid to supplement their solar-generated power. But residential solar energy systems paired with battery storage—generally called solar-plus-storage systems—provide power regardless of the weather or the time of day without having to rely on backup power from the grid.

Is energy storage a viable option for utility-scale solar energy systems?

Energy storage has become an increasingly common component of utility-scale solar energy systems in the United States. Much of NREL's analysis for this market segment focuses on the grid impacts of solar-plus-storage systems, though costs and benefits are also frequently considered.