Is solar-plus-storage a 'battery belt'?

Battery manufacturing capacity is growing apace – IRA provisions have spurred a “battery belt” stretching from the Upper Midwest to the Southeast, and the U.S. could add more than 80 GW of new storage manufacturing capacity by 2028. Solar-plus-storage’s biggest payoff may be keeping customer costs stable.

How has solar-plus-storage helped keep the lights on?

Adding 19 GW of solar and 6.2 GW of storage since 2019 helped keep the lights on – an 800% increase in solar and 5,500% increase in battery storage over that period. Solar-plus-storage is solving demand growth by providing reliable power when the grid needs it most – during peak hours.

How much will solar and battery storage cost in 2035?

But solar and battery storage costs have both fallen around 90% over the last decade. By 2035, solar costs could fall nearly 10% and battery storage costs could fall nearly 50%. “New solar plants, even without subsidies, are within touching distance of new U.S. gas plants,” said BloombergNEF’s Amar Vasdev.

How many GW of solar & battery power will the US have?

Compare that to solar-plus-storage: U.S. Energy Information Administration data shows utilities plan to add 110 GW of solar and 63 GW of storage through 2028, compared to just 25 GW of gas. American factories can supply utilities with this new solar and battery power.

Can solar-plus-storage meet rising demand without gas?

Energy Innovation analysis shows clean energy can come online fast enough to meet rising demand without needing gas to fill the gap, and solar-plus-storage has stepped up.

Can US factories supply utilities with solar power?

American factories can supply utilities with this new solar and battery power. Domestic solar manufacturing capacity more than tripled from 14.5 GW in 2023 to 50 GW in early 2025, and existing U.S. factories can now produce enough to meet nearly all domestic demand.