Pairing battery storage with solar power is the dream in terms of providing a renewable energy source and a technology to store excess power generation for the evenings when the sun isn’t shining. GigaOM contributor Ucilia Wang reports today on Solar Grid Storage, a startup that is focused on projects that blend solar generation with battery storage and EV charging. Wang notes that the purpose of these projects isn’t just storage but the ability to deliver energy services to the grid, presumably help with things like demand response and frequency regulation.

These projects are paying very attractive returns, in the neighborhood of 12 to 15 percent, partially because the technology is so new. Solar projects have seen their financing costs decline over the past couple years, a result of investors’ increasing familiarity with the products.

The projects that Solar Grid Storage works on are in the 250 kilowatt to 10 megawatt range, so these would be either for a large commercial/industrial infrastructure or perhaps be targeted at a utility looking for flexible energy services. I also wonder if the technology could target micro-grids for small communities.

I’d still love to see a more robust market for pairing storage with solar at the residential level. SolarCity has a product but it would be good to see more installers rolling out the technology.