Are rooftop solar panels or battery energy storage systems worth the cost?

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) researchers are here to help. Homeowners must navigate a quagmire of complicated policies to determine whether the energy savings from rooftop solar panels or battery energy storage systems (BESS) are worth the high upfront cost.

Are rooftop solar and battery energy storage a barrier to adoption?

Even with the benefits of rooftop solar and battery energy storage, the upfront cost of these systems is still a barrier to adoption. In some cases, especially for BESS, the time it takes for a homeowner to recoup the cost of the system with energy savings is longer than the lifetime of the technology itself.

Why is rooftop solar so important?

But as climate change drives hotter summers and more extreme winter storms, reliable access to power will become more vital to everyday life. Rooftop solar and BESS can provide both energy to homeowners as well as relieve some load on the power grid as a whole.

Is there a guide to rooftop solar & Bess?

To help homeowners tackle this tangle of information, PNNL researchers Jessica Kerby and Bethel Tarekegne published an open-access guide to rooftop solar and BESS in Renewable Energy Focus.

How much does a rooftop solar system cost in Oregon?

In Oregon, a 7.5 kW rooftop solar system plus a 13.5 kWh BESS would cost $43,125 on average to install without incentives. The state’s largest utility, Portland General Electric (PGE), offers a TOU rate option, and Oregon also has a net metering policy, paying the same utility rate for excess solar production.

How much does a rooftop solar system cost in Washington?

A 7.5 kW rooftop solar system plus a 13.5 kWh BESS would cost $46,322 on average in Washington to install without incentives. The state’s largest utility, Puget Sound Energy (PSE), offers a TOU rate option, meaning prices are higher in the evenings and lower overnight, in the early morning, and on weekends.