Solar panels for external on-site energy

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.

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.

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.

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.

However, many on-site systems simply can't scale large enough to cover full consumption needs, so they typically only cover a percentage of the facility's needs, relying on traditional electricity to cover the deficit. They also don't work everywhere as solar and wind resource varies from location to location, as well as incentives and rebates.

They also don't work everywhere as solar and wind resource varies from location to location, as well as incentives and rebates. Large energy consumers are increasingly looking to procure their renewable energy from off-site projects.