Understanding Solar+Storage: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions About Solar PV and Battery Storage
July 31, 2024
Seth Mullendore, Marriele Mango | Clean Energy Group
By addressing commonly asked questions about pairing solar photovoltaic systems with battery storage technologies (solar+storage), this guide is designed to bridge some of the fundamental knowledge gaps regarding solar+storage technologies. It is meant to serve as a starting point to establish a foundation of understanding for individuals and organizations beginning to explore solar+storage options for their homes, businesses, or community facilities.
The guide is organized into 12 common questions, each addressing multiple key topics. The answers are informed by more than ten years of experience through Clean Energy Group’s work with property owners, developers, nonprofits, and communities to advance solar+storage in historically marginalized and underserved communities.
The information presented in the guide focuses primarily on customer-sited, behind-the-meter solar+storage installations, though much of the information is relevant to other types of projects as well, including storage-only projects and front-of-the-meter solar+storage projects.
Topics addressed include the following:
- What factors do I need to consider when designing a solar+storage system?
- Is solar+storage an effective backup power solution?
- How do I determine the value of solar+storage (savings, revenue, resilience)?
- How much do batteries cost?
- How can I pay for a solar+storage system (incentives, grants, financing)?
- Can storage be added to an existing solar system?
- What different types of batteries are available (and which one is right for me)?
- What size battery do I need?
- Is battery storage safe?
- How long does a solar+storage system last?
- Can solar+storage be developed to benefit low-income communities?
- What are the environmental impacts of battery storage?
To help think through the initial stages of approaching a solar+storage installation, Clean Energy Group published a complimentary Storage+Storage Project Checklist with seven simple steps to begin the process.