Powering the future: Why solar and storage work so well together in today’s energy projects
Article Summary
As solar energy construction continues to grow at a rapid pace, battery energy storage solutions are increasingly serving as a key component of many new projects — giving developers a smart and efficient way to bring more clean power online. Working together, solar and energy storage provide consistent access to clean power while supporting a more reliable grid.
Key Takeaways
- Solar and battery energy storage are increasingly being deployed together to strengthen grid reliability.
- Energy storage helps capture solar energy when it's abundant and deliver it when it's needed most.
- Rising energy demand is accelerating investment in solar-plus-storage infrastructure.
- Utility-scale solar sites provide an ideal platform for co-located energy storage solutions.
- The future of clean energy depends on solutions that are renewable and reliable — and solar plus storage delivers both.
As solar energy construction continues to grow at a rapid pace, battery energy storage solutions are increasingly serving as a key component of many new projects — giving developers a smart and efficient way to bring more clean power online.
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) forecasts a 256% increase in utility-scale energy storage deployment by 20301. In 2025 alone, 16 gigawatts of new storage capacity came online in the U.S., which was an all-time record and up 41% from the year before2. And 2026 got off to a flying start with nearly 10 gigawatts installed in the first quarter3, which was also a record.
While some future storage projects will be standalone efforts, many others will be paired with solar energy. Working together, solar and energy storage provide consistent access to clean power while supporting a more reliable grid for residential consumers and businesses alike.
Here’s a closer look at why solar and storage work so well together.
Rising energy demand continues to push the grid to the limit
It’s no secret that energy demand is at an all-time high. U.S. power consumption set a record in 2025, and with the development of new data centers and AI-related technology continuing at an exponential rate, the U.S. power sector will set new records in 2026 and 2027, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration4.
The power needed to support new high-tech infrastructure will test the limits of the grid. Extreme weather events also present a growing challenge, and news headlines on wide-scale brownouts and blackouts in recent years following catastrophic storms highlight the worst-case scenario.
Battery energy storage solutions help offset this risk by storing power during times of lower usage and peak power generation, then deploying this stored power when the grid needs more power. Both utility-scale storage as well as smaller home battery backups provide an important safeguard against disruptions.
And while energy storage systems can be paired with any type of energy generation, they work particularly well with solar. That’s because batteries can fill up during the day while the sun is out. Then, when the sun sets, demand often increases as households turn on lights and run appliances — and that’s when stored-up energy is often released.
Solar and storage both support clean-energy goals
As policymakers seek eco-friendly solutions to climate, pollution and grid challenges, solar and storage projects are increasingly attractive options.
In California, for instance, the Opt-In Certification Program aims to expedite and streamline clean energy generation — and the Darden Solar + Storage project is a clear example of this goal in action. The state-of-the-art facility will generate 1,500 megawatts of solar energy and offer 4,600 megawatt-hours of energy storage when fully operational, reflecting the significant impact solar and storage can have when paired together.
Both solar and storage systems are zero-emission solutions, making them ideal from an environmental perspective, and solar remains one of the least expensive and fastest forms of energy to build5. It’s no surprise, then, that a growing number of developers and municipalities are looking at solar and storage projects. In 2025, solar and energy storage represented 79% of new capacity installed within the U.S.6 Expect that figure to remain high in coming years as more solar and storage projects come online.
Large solar sites offer room for storage solutions
Utility-scale solar sites provide the opportunity to develop storage solutions alongside solar panels. Projects such as Edwards & Sanborn Solar + Energy Storage in California and Rocky Mountain Solar + Storage in Colorado are great examples of solar and storage working in harmony.
These complex, multi-faceted projects require support from partners who know these different industries inside and out. Mortenson brings deep engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) experience in both solar and energy storage. As these fields become more intertwined, turn to an EPC partner who can help you navigate complexities and deliver the clean power solutions of today and tomorrow.
[1] SEIA: The Future of Energy is Storage
[2] Clean Power Annual Market Report 2025
[3] SEIA: U.S. Adds 10 GWh of New Energy Storage Capacity in First Quarter, Marking Largest Q1 on Record
[4] Reuters: US power use to beat record highs in 2026 and 2027 as AI use surges, EIA says
[5] Lazard’s Levelized Cost of Energy+ (LCOE+)
[6] SEIA: U.S. Adds 43 GW of New Solar Capacity in 2025, Marking Fifth Straight Year as Top Source of New Power