Energy think tank Ember released a report showing that plunging battery storage costs have led to a major uptick in utility-scale installs.
In the r/solar community, a Reddit user shared PV Magazine's coverage of the report. The report showed that the cost of storing electricity with grid-scale batteries has dropped to a levelized cost of storage near $65 per megawatt-hour. This means that dispatchable solar is now competitive with, or cheaper than, new traditional fuel power plants.
Adding battery storage is one of the best ways to save money on electricity, protect your home during outages, and gain energy independence. EnergySage provides free tools that allow homeowners to explore home battery options and compare competitive estimates from vetted contractors. It's teamed up with Qmerit, an electrification company, to help you find the best deals on battery storage solutions for your needs.
The report pointed to major cost declines driven by cheaper equipment, improved battery technologies and performance, and lower financing costs. Higher tariffs and domestic content requirements in the U.S. can make battery projects more expensive. But the market is still rapidly expanding, with record growth in battery storage installations in 2025.
Ember data showed that, over the last decade, installed costs have declined by an average of 20% per year. Annual installations have risen by about 80%.
Solar power paired with battery storage is making electricity available on demand even when the sun doesn't shine. This will help societies speed up the transition to cleaner energy and reduce reliance on polluting, dangerous fuel sources.
While the shift won't happen overnight, it makes electricity costs steadier as more solar and battery storage capacity come online. For homeowners who already have rooftop solar, cheaper batteries mean better use of their own power, reducing reliance on the grid at night. For renters and people without solar, more utility-scale batteries can still help because system-wide savings are shared across all customers.
"The economics for batteries are unrecognisable, and the industry is only just getting to grips with this new paradigm," Kostantsa Rangelova, global electricity analyst at Ember, said in a report update. "Solar is no longer just cheap daytime electricity, solar is now anytime dispatchable electricity. This is a game-changer for countries with fast-growing demand and strong solar resources."
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"With how rapidly prices have been dropping it's been tempting to upgrade my array and add storage," one Reddit user said. "If battery prices keep falling as they're expected to solar+storage will become a very attractive option for the average person."
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