Video Series: Resilient Solar+Storage for Community Facilities
January 21, 2025
Seth Mullendore, Anna Adamsson | Clean Energy Group
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This video series is intended to introduce audiences to key concepts about solar and energy storage and guide viewers through how to size a solar and battery storage system. By the end of this video series, viewers should understand the initial steps to plan a solar and storage project and know how to access additional predevelopment support.
These videos were produced for the Green and Solar Lending Training & Technical Assistance program hosted by the University of New Hampshire’s Center for Impact Finance and the Inclusiv Center for Resiliency and Clean Energy. The self-paced course, Resilient Solar and Storage for Community Facilities, is publicly available and free to enroll.
Resilient Power Glossary: Key Terms and Concepts
The first step in understanding renewable energy and sustainability is becoming familiar with key terms. This 10-minute video focuses on key terms and concepts pertaining to solar, battery storage, and energy resilience. You will learn terms including kilowatt and kilowatt-hour, microgrid, resilience hub, critical load, solar self-consumption, and demand response. More detailed information is available in the guidance document Understanding Solar+Storage: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions About Solar PV and Battery Storage.
Assessing the Solar Potential of a Building
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s free online tool, the PVWatts Calculator, can help you estimate the size and performance of a rooftop solar array. In this 10-minute video, you will be shown an example of how to perform a solar potential assessment online using the free tool. You will also learn what a solar assessment is and why assessing a building’s solar potential is an important step in the planning process.
Sizing a Solar and Storage System
This 15-minute video reviews key considerations for sizing a solar and storage system. You will be guided through a list of questions to identify your goals for pursuing a solar and storage project and learn about common obstacles encountered when developing a project. This overview includes a list of resources helpful to have on hand to accurately size the system, such as monthly electric utility bills. By the end of this video, you should have a better understanding of the considerations made when determining the size of a solar and battery storage system, as well as barriers to development.
What is the Role of a Technical Assistance Provider?
An experienced third-party engineer can provide invaluable predevelopment support by assessing the feasibility of solar paired with battery storage at a specific facility. This 8-minute video overviews the role of a technical assistance engineer (and how it differs from an installer) and what information is commonly provided through predevelopment support. Clean Energy Group, a national nonprofit organization, provides tailored support to community-serving organizations as they explore how solar and battery storage can promote community resilience. This support, offered through Clean Energy Group’s Technical Assistance Fund, partners organizations with an experienced technical assistance provider to conduct a solar and storage feasibility analysis at an individual facility.
This video series was created with the generous support of foundations, organizations, and individuals, including The Kresge Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, JPMorganChase Foundation, the Center for Impact Finance at the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey School of Public Policy, and Inclusiv.