Solar-plus-storage economics: What works where, and why?

Journal Article · Sat Jan 19 04:00:00 EST 2019 · Electricity Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tej.2019.01.006· OSTI ID:1493868

McLaren, Joyce ^[1]; Laws, Nick ^[1]; Anderson, Kate ^[1]; DiOrio, Nick ^[1]; Miller, Hannah ^[1]

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1. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

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. We explore the impacts of location, building load profile, technology cost, utility rate structure, and policies on solar-plus-storage economic viability, and identify which factors are most significant to project economics. While savings from storage-only projects are largely derived from demand charge reductions, solar combined with storage also provides significant energy charge savings. A common assumption is that load profiles with peaks are likely candidates for savings from storage, due to the opportunity for demand charge reduction. Our results indicate that potential for savings from combining solar with storage is independent of building load variability, likely due to the energy cost reductions from the solar. Systems are more often economical under time of use and demand charge rates, particularly when demand charges are >$10 per kilowatt. Where systems were found to be economical, expected lifetime savings averaged between 7%-10%, with savings of 30% in numerous cases. Near term markets exist for solar-plus-storage in locations such as California and New York. As technology prices drop, the number of building types that can benefit increase, and additional markets appear in Colorado, New Mexico, and Alaska. All data from the study and interactive modeling results are available at: https://openei.org/wiki/Solar+Storage.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1493868
• Report Number(s): NREL/JA--6A20-73231
• Journal Information: Electricity Journal, Journal Name: Electricity Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 32; ISSN 1040-6190
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
battery storage
demand charges
electricity markets
energy charges
solar-plus-storage
utility tariffs