Solar energy on site recommended for outdoor use

To achieve sustainability goals while meeting the increasing electricity demands of electrification, organizations are pairing on-site solar PV generation with on-site energy storage. These systems, which are considered as “behind-the-meter” (BTM) systems, allow facilities to maximize the benefits of on-site renewable generation.

These systems need not be located onsite. For more information, refer to National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) A Guide to Community Shared Solar: Utility, Private, and Nonprofit Project Development2. PV systems produce energy by converting photons into direct current (DC) electricity.

Use solar power to save you money and reduce your carbon footprint. The most common on-site renewable energy systems are solar-powered. Solar setups convert light energy from the sun into electrical current. They can be installed in sun-facing areas such as rooftops, external walls or parking lots.

If a utility restricts the exports from a facility to the grid, the use of on-site storage alongside solar PV can provide a solution to avoid costly infrastructure upgrades, thus increasing the feasibility of larger on-site PV installations.

For the scenario represented in the graph, an on-site solar PV system allows the facility to reduce the amount of electricity drawn from the grid during the middle of the day. Increasing the amount of solar PV production on-site can provide additional cost and emission reductions and resiliency benefits for facilities.

Outdoor solar batteries require easy access for maintenance. Choose a location that allows for straightforward inspections, cleaning, and servicing. You should also have space to monitor the battery management system (BMS), which tracks essential metrics like temperature and charge cycles.