What is solar-plus-storage?

For solar-plus-storage—the pairing of solar photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage technologies—NREL researchers study and quantify the unique economic and grid benefits reaped by distributed and utility-scale systems. Much of NREL's current energy storage research is informing solar-plus-storage analysis.

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.

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 are the benchmarks for PV and energy storage systems?

The benchmarks in this report are bottom-up cost estimates of all major inputs to PV and energy storage system (ESS) installations. Bottom-up costs are based on national averages and do not necessarily represent typical costs in all local markets.

How much does a PV system cost in 2023?

Q1 2023 U.S. PV-plus-storage cost benchmarks Our operations and maintenance (O&M) analysis breaks costs into various categories and provides total annualized O&M costs. The MSP results for PV systems (in units of 2022 real USD/kWdc/yr) are $28.78 (residential), $39.83 (community solar), and $16.12 (utility-scale).

What is PV and storage cost modeling?

This year, we introduce a new PV and storage cost modeling approach. The PV System Cost Model (PVSCM) was developed by SETO and NREL to make the cost benchmarks simpler and more transparent, while expanding to cover components not previously benchmarked.