Fact Sheet

ONSITE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND STORAGE WORKING GROUP

Maximizing the Benefits of Onsite Renewable Energy Generation

Using Onsite Energy Storage

About the Series Overview

Over the course of seven sessions, through the Installing onsite renewable energy systems is a common
Onsite Renewable and Energy Working Group, DOE strategy facility owners can use to save money, reduce
convened more than 20 partners to identify and their greenhouse gas emissions, and add resiliency
highlight ongoing issues and opportunities when to their facilities by generating their own electricity.
planning and deploying onsite renewable energy Many facilities have recognized the advantages of
systems and energy storage systems. This document is onsite renewable energy generation and are seeking
part of a series to provide technical recommendations new ways to further enhance the benefits. At the same
resulting from the discussion among Better Climate time, facilities across sectors are also requiring more
Challenge partners, allies, and DOE experts. electricity for the electrification of heating systems

Benefits of Behind-the-meter Systems

Cost Savings Greenhouse Gas Increased Resiliency

Emission Reduction
 BTM systems give facilities the  BTM systems designed with
option to reduce demand  BTM systems can be battery and thermal storage can
charges1 imposed by the utility designed to store energy provide backup electricity,
and leverage time-of-use rates2 purchased from the grid heating capacity, and cooling
to lower operational costs. when the generation capacity in the event of a grid
profile has the lowest outage.
 BTM systems can be designed
associated greenhouse gas
to work around electrical service  If a chiller or boiler becomes
emissions.
and export limitations that can inoperable, having thermal
trigger high upfront costs due to  Renewable generation storage on-site can extend the
electrical infrastructure systems can directly reduce amount of time available to bring
upgrades. greenhouse gas emissions. thermal systems back online.

and installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging (BTM) systems, allow facilities to maximize the benefits
infrastructure. Although several options are of onsite renewable generation.
available for onsite renewable generation, and the
To maximize the benefits to their facility, operators
best solution can vary from one location to another,
can integrate several different forms of BTM systems
this resource focuses on solar photovoltaic (PV)
and controllable loads, as shown in Figure 1 . This
systems as a specific example of onsite renewable
resource provides an overview of common renewable
energy generation. To achieve sustainability goals
generation, storage, and load management
while meeting the increasing electricity demands of
technologies that can be integrated into facilities. It
electrification, organizations are pairing onsite solar
also shows how generation from onsite PV systems
PV generation with onsite energy storage. These
can interact with onsite electrical and thermal
systems, which are considered as “behind-the-meter”

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storage to affect the net load a facility requires from increases in electrical demands at the facility. These
the grid. Finally, this resource provides discussion of insights can help facility owners communicate the value
how energy efficiency strategies, onsite energy storage, of applicable systems to project teams and develop
and electric vehicle infrastructure can be used to build innovative BTM solutions to achieve their energy and
capacity for future electrification and the corresponding environmental goals.

Behind-The-Meter Technologies: Generation, Storage, and Load Management

BEHIND THE METER

IF SYSTEM
CAN EXPORT HYBRID
ELECTRICITY INVERTER SOLAR
TO THE GRID PHOTOVOLTAICS
(PV)
BATTERY
STORAGE

LIGHTING
LOADS

OTHER
LOADS

AC LEVEL 2
EVC THERMAL
ENERGY
STORAGE

PLUG
LOADS

Charge
MAIN
ELECTRICAL
DISTRIBUTION Discharge
PANEL THERMAL GROUND
GRID SUPPLIED ENERGY
ELECTRICITY SOURCE HEAT
STORAGE PUMP
CHILLER BI-DIRECTIONAL
Charge CHARGING
Discharge
ELECTRIC METER
BUILDING LEVEL

HEATING, VENTILATION,
ONSITE AND AIR
TRANSFORMER CONDITIONING (HVAC)

Figure 1. Diagram showing components in a BTM system. BTM systems include generation assets, storage assets, and measurement
and control strategies to achieve cost savings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and build resiliency.

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Overview of Generation, Storage, and Load Management Technologies for Behind the Meter Systems

Solar Photovoltaics (PV) Electrical Storage Thermal Energy Storage

 Conventional solar PV can be  Stationary battery  Hot/cold water storage can provide heating,
installed as a ground mounted energy storage cooling, or water supply needs to a facility. In
array, on a rooftop, carport, (BES) systems this form of storage, water is cooled by a
covered parking, or other provide the most building chiller or heated by the boiler and is
location at the facility flexibility for stored in large tanks for later use.
depending on aesthetic or electricity storage  Ice storage provides cooling capacity for the
structural considerations. on-site at a facility. facility. Water is frozen using a chiller, stored
 PV-thermal hybrid solar  Bidirectional in ice tanks, and then melted to provide
collectors (PVT) can provide electric vehicle cooling.
simultaneous generation of hot charging  Phase change storage releases thermal
water and electricity while infrastructure5 can, energy when a phase change material melts
increasing the efficiency of PV depending on the or freezes.
generation. vehicle and the
configuration of the
 Solid storage can store heat for later use. For
 Building-integrated example, ceramic bricks or other materials are
photovoltaics (BIPV), including electrical system,
provide backup heated to store sensible heat.
solar PV roof tiles, facades, and
windows can be incorporated power for facilities  The building thermal mass can be used to
within the facility envelope for in the event of a store energy by pre-cooling or warming the
additional generation capacity. grid outage.6 facility using a controllable thermostat.

 A controllable or programmable energy used at facilities (HVAC,

thermostat can reduce energy energy storage operation, etc.).
consumption and avoid peak Distributed energy resource
Load Management loads by adjusting temperatures

management systems (DERMS)8
at preferential times and turn off and open automated demand
heating/cooling when not response (Open ADR9) facilitate
 A smart/hybrid inverter has the
needed. Thermostat controls can the communication between BTM
capability to manage on-site
also be used to spread out a resources (e.g. on-site solar PV,
battery charging while serving the
facility’s “warm up” time. on-site storage) and the grid. They
building load and maintaining
grid connectivity. Due to flexibility  At the facility level, energy can control when BTM systems
in handling both direct and management information export to the grid and receive
indirect current they are an systems (EMIS),7 building demand response signals from
important component in automation systems (BAS), and electricity providers.
integrating on-site PV generation smart meters allow for
and battery storage. monitoring and control of the

Onsite Generation technology, on the net load required from the grid. The
Typical onsite renewable energy systems are designed icons to the right of each graph indicate the relative
to offset utility costs and reduce greenhouse gas size of each energy resource, for comparison between
emissions for electricity used at facilities. Figures 2-6 scenarios. A shaded icon indicates that the energy
show the impact of different onsite solar and storage system component is not present, while larger system
configurations, including variations in size and components are represented by icons with more rings.

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Figure 2 shows how an onsite solar PV system might peak daylight hours must be exported or managed
interact with the base load electricity consumption at a through curtailment onsite. Figure 3 shows a system
representative facility. The base load data is adapted that is exporting to the grid during peak daylight
from a 2021 study10 to represent the facility’s average hours. Depending on the utility (e.g., those with net-
hourly electricity consumption. For the scenario metering programs in place), facilities may be able to
represented in the graph, an onsite solar PV system receive compensation for excess generation during this
allows the facility to reduce the amount of electricity time. On the other hand, some utility programs and
drawn from the grid during the middle of the day. existing infrastructure may limit the ability for facilities
to become power producers. For example, load studies
Increasing the amount of solar PV production onsite can
and/or transformer upgrades may be necessary for the
provide additional cost and emission reductions and
utility to receive exported electricity from customers.
resiliency benefits for facilities. However, the additional
These barriers can lead to extended project timelines
generation that can result from larger systems during
160
 Base Load
140 PV Generation
Net Load (required from grid)
120 PV Generation
 Peak Demand
100
Load (kW)

80
Grid Supply
60

40
Electrical Storage
20

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Hour of Day Thermal Storage

Figure 2. Graph showing onsite solar PV production during a sunny day and its effect on the net load required from grid. The relatively small level of
PV generation offsets a portion of the building electrical loads, resulting in a reduced net load through the primary daylight hours.

300
 Base Load
250 PV Generation

200 Net Load (required from grid)

PV Generation
 Peak Demand
150
Power (kW)

100

50 Grid Supply

-50
Electrical Storage
-100

-150
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Thermal Storage
Hour of Day
Figure 3. Graph showing production from a larger onsite solar PV array and its effect on the net load the facility requires from the grid. The presence
of a negative net load indicates that there is more onsite generation than the facility can consume. In this case, the negative net load values represent
excess generation that would need to either be exported to the grid or curtailed.

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and costly overruns that restrict the size, and ultimately operating under a simple control strategy to reduce peak
the benefits, of onsite solar PV. loads from the grid as much as possible. This reduces
the peak demand from 130 kW (see Figure 3) to 70 kW.
Additionally, larger onsite solar PV systems may not
From a cost perspective, facilities can benefit directly
significantly reduce the peak load required from the
from a reduction in demand charges on their utility bill.
grid. As seen by comparing Figures 2 and 3, the peak
Operation of the BES has the added financial benefit of
net load that the facility draws from the grid remains
reducing net load required from the grid during the on-
around 140 kW. Because onsite solar PV systems may
peak times (typically 4 to 9PM) when electricity is the most
not result in significant changes to the peak demand
expensive.
(kW), the operating cost benefits from reducing peak
demand charges may be limited. If grid exports are not allowed, using multiple forms of
energy storage may allow a facility to avoid exports to the
Onsite Generation + Storage grid entirely. In Figure 5, the addition of thermal energy
If a utility restricts the exports from a facility to the grid, storage (TES) allows the facility to use the onsite solar
the use of onsite storage alongside solar PV can provide PV to charge both the TES and BES instead of exporting
a solution to avoid costly infrastructure upgrades, thus to the grid or curtailing the excess generation. Also, the
increasing the feasibility of larger onsite PV installations. addition of TES further reduces peak demand from 70 kW
Figure 4 shows a facility using a portion of the onsite solar to less than 50 kW. While similar results could be achieved
PV generation to charge an onsite battery energy storage with a larger BES system, it would be more expensive. The
(BES) system to manage the excess generation. When addition of TES adds storage capacity at a reduced cost.
compared with Figure 3, it is apparent that the addition Ultimately, the ideal combination of thermal and electrical
of BES allows the facility to reduce the excess generation storage will be dependent on the utility restrictions and
from approximately 140 kW to 80 kW. While grid exports/ the end uses at the facility.
curtailment could be further reduced with a larger storage
system, even a smaller BES system can allow facilities to Finally, the use of onsite solar PV and a larger storage
remain within their allowable exports while maximizing system can complement each other to largely eliminate
onsite PV generation. the need for grid supplied electricity. Figure 6 shows how
by implementing a combination of solar PV and thermal
The integration of onsite storage and solar PV can also and electrical storage, the facility largely eliminates the
mitigate the cost of peak demand charges and reduce need for grid supplied electricity even during non-daylight
consumption during on-peak times. In Figure 4 the BES is hours. This maximizes the operational cost savings by

300
 Base Load
250 PV Generation
Net Load (required from grid)
200 PV Generation
 BES Charging
 BES Discharge
150
Power (kW)

 Peak Demand
100
Grid Supply
50

0
Electrical Storage
-50

-100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Thermal Storage
Hour of Day
Figure 4. Graph showing production from an onsite solar PV system, the charge/discharge of an electrical storage system, and their combined effect
on the net load. While electrical storage is considered in this example, a similar sized thermal energy storage (TES) system could be substituted at a
significantly lower cost to account for thermal loads in the building.

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largely eliminating the net load required from the grid facility base loads, and the goals for the system (e.g.
and the grid draw during peak time-of-use hours. Each cost reduction, greenhouse gas emission reduction, or
facility must identify the relative sizes of onsite generation, resiliency). The following tools are available for facilities
thermal storage, and electrical storage to best suit to properly size onsite generation and storage to satisfy
their needs. their needs.

Relative Sizing of Onsite Solar PV and u Energy audits and greenhouse gas emission
Storage Systems reduction audits. The Better Climate Challenge10 has
The relative sizing of onsite solar PV and onsite storage resources for facilities to perform greenhouse gas
systems will be different for every facility since they emission reduction audits11 and other planning tools
depend on variable factors such as utility incentives, to achieve ambitious emissions reduction goals.

300
 Base Load  TES Charging
PV Generation  TES Discharge
250
Net Load
(required from grid) PV Generation
200  BES Charging
Power (kW)

 BES Discharge
 Peak Demand
150
Grid Supply

100

Electrical Storage
50

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Thermal Storage
Hour of Day
Figure 5. Graph showing production from an onsite solar PV array, the charge/discharge of both a battery and thermal storage system, and their effect
on the net load. The combination of storage types allows the facility to further reduce excess generation.

500
 Base Load
PV Generation
400
Net Load
(required from grid) PV Generation
300  BES Charging
Power (kW)

 BES Discharge
 TES Charging
200
 TES Discharge Grid Supply

100

0 Electrical Storage

-100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Thermal Storage
Hour of Day
Figure 6. Graph showing the production from an even larger onsite solar PV array, the charge/discharge of both a BES and a larger TES system, and
their effect on the net load. To further reduce the grid exports, the facility would need to curtail a fraction of the total onsite generation.

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u PVWatts calculator12 This tool models solar u Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Toolbox (EVI-X)15,16
generation potential based on a facility’s geographic This suite of tools allows facilities to estimate charging
location. infrastructure needs and electrical demands based on
u ReOpt web tool13 This tool models renewable and EV adoption scenarios.
storage systems including sizing, evaluating their u System Advisor Model (SAM)17 SAM facilitates BTM
economic viability and optimizing dispatch strategies. battery storage modeling, demand charge saving
u Electric Vehicle Infrastructure – Enabling calculations, and total cost of ownership calculations.
Distributed Generation Energy Storage Model u Department of Energy Technical Assistance
(EVI-EDGES)14 EVI-EDGES is a tool for understanding Opportunities18 The Department of Energy provides a
how the use of BTM storage and distributed variety of no-cost technical assistance to organizations
generation can reduce the costs and impacts of to facilitate the adoption of renewable energy
vehicle electrification. generation and energy storage.

160
Base Load
140 Base Load
(after energy efficiency measures)
120  Peak Demand (base)
 Peak Demand
100 (after efficiency measures)
Load (kW)

80

60

40

20

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Hour of Day
Figure 7. Graph showing the potential of energy efficiency strategies to reduce building energy consumption. Energy efficiency measures can yield
large load reductions that can facilitate building electrification without the need for capacity increases.19

Onsite Solar PV and Onsite Storage: Building These strategies can lower peak demand charges and
Capacity for Future Electrification reduce the amount and cost of electricity that is delivered
to the facility, even without the need for onsite generation
In addition to considering onsite solar PV and storage, or storage. Figure 7 shows how energy efficiency measures
many facility owners are beginning to electrify thermal can reduce peak demand and total energy consumed by
systems and install electric vehicle charging infrastructure the grid. Establishing energy efficiency measures before
on their properties. For both cases, the increased electric sizing storage systems can reduce the size of generation
loads due to these upgrades can quickly exceed the and storage systems necessary to achieve facility energy
existing electrical service limitations and infrastructure at goals.
the facility. To overcome this, energy efficiency strategies
and strategic load management coupled with onsite Additional capacity for future electrification can be
storage can allow facilities to maximize their electricity use enhanced by implementing onsite TES, which can enable
while remaining within current electrical service limitations. downsizing of facility HVAC equipment.20 For example,
when traditional gas-fired boilers and electric chillers
Energy efficiency strategies are the first step facility are designed, they are typically sized to meet the peak
owners can take to build capacity for future electrification. load of the facility. When electrified using the same

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logic, one-to-one “drop in” electrification replacements Onsite solar and electrical storage systems can be used to
can lead to significant oversizing of equipment and build capacity for electric vehicle charging infrastructure
increased expenses both from a first cost and operations at facilities. Level 2 chargers can draw anywhere from
perspective. However, including TES into these systems 3 to 20 kW23 at any given time. These loads can lead to
can allow electric heating and cooling systems to be spikes in the facility electricity consumption, resulting in
sized smaller to satisfy the average daily load as opposed higher demand charges and added costs from greater
to sizing for the maximum load expected over the consumption during peak time-of-use rates. To overcome
entire year.21 TES can then be used to supplement the this, facilities can optimize the control of EV chargers.24
downsized system to meet the required peak heating or For example, electric vehicle charging can be limited to
cooling loads of a facility. This integration can significantly periods when excess onsite solar PV is available. Further,
reduce the impact of electrified heating systems on the the addition of electric storage can allow EV charging
total electric load of the building. installation despite electrical infrastructure constraints.
Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) are another Conclusion
technology that can facilitate efficient heating
Facility owners seeking to reduce their operating costs,
electrification. Since GSHPs use the ground as a heat
lower greenhouse gas emissions, and build resiliency at
source/sink, with inherently stable ground temperatures
their facilities can benefit from installing onsite renewable
year-round they operate more efficiently than air source
energy generation and onsite energy storage systems.
heat pumps, particularly during the hottest or coldest
When adequately sized and controlled, these systems can
weather conditions. Lower electrical loads for heating
provide facilities with a way to reduce demand charges,
and cooling allow limited electrical capacity to be used
reduce electricity use during peak time-of-use rates, avoid
in other places. When installed with onsite renewable
utility export limitations, and operate during grid outages.
energy generation, facilities that use GSHPs in unbalanced
While onsite solar PV can be used by itself to achieve
climates (either very hot or very cold) could configure
substantial benefits, the integration of onsite storage can
these systems to use excess onsite generation to heat or
maximize these benefits and provide a pathway towards
cool the ground, providing seasonal underground TES.22
decarbonizing the commercial and industrial sectors.
This could have the added benefit of avoiding curtailment
of onsite renewable energy while further increasing the
operational efficiency of the GSHP.

References
1
“Understanding your Utility Bill – Electricity” https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/BP%20
Understanding%20your%20Utility%20Bill%20-%20Electricity_FINAL.pdf

2
“Evaluating Your Utility Rate Options” https://www.energy.gov/femp/evaluating-your-utility-rate-options

3
“Assembling an Effective Team” https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/AssemblingEffectiveTeams.
pdf

4
Annual Technology Baseline – Commercial Battery Storage” https://atb.nrel.gov/electricity/2024/commercial_battery_storage

5
“Bidirectional Charging and Electric Vehicles for Mobile Storage” https://www.energy.gov/femp/bidirectional-charging-and-electric-vehicles-
mobile-storage

6
“Connecting Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure to Commercial Buildings” https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/sites/
default/files/attachments/Connecting%20Electric%20Vehicle%20Charging%20Infrastructure%20to%20Commercial%20Buildings.pdf

Learn more at betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/

 References (cont.)
7
“Energy Management Information System Planning and Procurement” https://www.energy.gov/femp/energy-management-information-
system-planning-and-procurement

8
“Grid Modernization - Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems” https://www.nrel.gov/grid/distributed-energy-resource-
management-systems.html

9
“Introduction to OpenADR” https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/05/f16/OpenADR%20DOE.pdf

10
“Data Model for Residential and Commercial Buildings. Load Flexibility Assessment in Smart Cities” https://www.mdpi.com/2071-
1050/13/4/1736

11
“Better Buildings Solution Center – Better Climate Challenge” https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/climate-challenge

12
“Better Buildings Solution Center – Emissions Reduction Planning” https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/decarbonization/erp

13
“REopt Web Tool” https://reopt.nrel.gov/tool

14
“Behind-the-Meter Storage Analysis” https://www.nrel.gov/transportation/behind-the-meter-storage-analysis.html

15
“Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Toolbox” https://afdc.energy.gov/evi-x-toolbox#/evi-pro-loads

16
“How Might Electric Vehicles Affect Electric Loads?” https://www.nrel.gov/news/program/2020/how-might-electric-vehicles-affect-electric-
loads.html

17
“System Advisor Model” https://sam.nrel.gov/

18
“Technical Assistance” https://www.energy.gov/eere/technical-assistance

19
“Nexus of electrification and energy efficiency retrofit of commercial buildings at the district scale” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/
article/pii/S2210670723002196?via%3Dihub#bib001

20
“A proposed methodology to reduce heat pump size with integrated thermal energy storage” https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1975341

21
“Decarbonizing Building Thermal Systems: A How-to Guide for Heat Pump Systems and Beyond” https://www.nrel.gov/docs/
fy24osti/87812.pdf

22
“Development and simulated evaluation of inter-seasonal power-to-heat and power-to-cool with underground thermal storage for self-
consumption of surplus solar energy in buildings” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196890424009543

23
“EV Charging Stations” https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity-stations

24
“Integrating Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure into Commercial Buildings and Mixed-Use Communities: Design, Modeling, and
Control Optimization Opportunities” https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy20osti/77438.pdf

DOE/GO-102024-6249 • October 2024

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