As concerns about climate change and energy reliability grow, businesses are looking for ways to become more sustainable. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), in the last decade alone, solar has experienced an average annual growth rate of 24%. There are now more than 155 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity installed nationwide, enough to power 27 million homes.

Solar Energy Storage Unlocks New Potential
Imagine a big box store or industrial facility with a massive rooftop solar array generating clean power during the day. Now add a battery storage system, essentially rows of large metal containers filled with the same lithium-ion batteries found in electric cars and laptops. This solar and storage combination unlocks new potential.

The most obvious perk of this pairing is backup power. If the grid goes down, the system switches off automatically to prevent endangering utility workers trying to restore electricity. The batteries then kick in, creating a microgrid to keep a building’s critical operations running. Once grid power returns, the system reconnects and goes back to smoothing out a site’s energy needs. This resilience allows businesses to avoid costly downtime and continue serving customers.

Another benefit to solar energy storage is the ability for businesses to store power for use another day. You can use this stored power before switching to grid electricity. You’ll likely automatically save money by having this system in place, but there are strategic ways you can increase your savings. One way to do this is through peak shaving, where you avoid peak demand charges on the electrical grid by quickly reducing power consumption during periods of high demand. The other way is through load shifting when businesses transfer their electricity consumption to off-peak hours of the day.

Why Now Is the Time To Consider Solar Integration
These strengths make solar and storage a prized tool for meeting corporate sustainability targets. By generating clean energy on-site and reducing reliance on carbon-emitting sources, companies shrink their environmental footprints. Solar and batteries combined eliminate over 20 times more carbon emissions than solar alone.

Cost is also a big factor in deciding to transition to solar. The cost differs based on the type and size of the building and your goals for energy production. A 2021 report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) states that for solar panel systems installed in commercial buildings ranging in size from 100 kW–2MW, in 2021 the cost benchmark of a PV system was $1.56/WDC. This price dropped 10.71% from 2020 prices.

There are several financial incentives available that encourage the transition to solar through state and federal funding. In Illinois, these initiatives include The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICCF), and the Illinois Solar for All program, also made available through CEJA. Illinois is also a net metering state, allowing owners to send surplus energy to the grid and receive credits on their bills. At the federal level, the Inflation Reduction Act increases the solar investment tax credit (ITC) to 30% for projects that begin before January 1, 2025, and meet apprenticeship and wage requirements.

Solar energy systems also boost public perception and investor confidence in a company’s commitment to green operations. Given the substantial cost savings achievable, solar and storage investments pay for themselves well within their 25+ year lifespan.

How To Get Started With Solar and Storage Installation
As battery costs fall and incentives rise, efficient batteries integrated with solar offer an increasingly attractive decarbonization strategy. However, to maximize results, businesses should address energy efficiency first. Steps like LED lighting retrofits, upgraded HVAC systems and insulation pay themselves back quickly while reducing the required solar system size. Wise companies tackle the easy fixes before investing in on-site generation.

Of course, expert help navigating the technical and financial intricacies is key. That’s where qualified electrical contractors come in. Look for licensed electrical contractors experienced with solar and energy storage installations when exploring these systems. Credentials like NABCEP board certification for solar professionals and EVITP training for EV charging installations are great additions and knowledge to ensure a safe system installation provides added assurance of competency. Powering Chicago’s Find A Contractor tool can assist those in Chicagoland with hiring one of these certified and highly-qualified contractors. For those of you in other parts of the country, we recommend using the National Electrical Contractors Association’s (NECA) Find A Contractor tool to find the right contractor to hire for your next project.

By harnessing sunshine and batteries, companies join the sustainability transformation already underway in the power sector. The future looks bright, with commercial solar and storage lighting the path to resilience and emission reductions. Working together, we can build the next generation of smart, clean energy infrastructure.

Elbert Walters III is Executive Director at Powering Chicago, an electrical industry labor-management partnership (LMCC) that invests in consistently better construction, better careers and better communities within the metro Chicago region.

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