Solar and Storage: From Pilot Projects to the Backbone of Tomorrow’s Power Systems

Five years ago, pairing solar photovoltaics (PV) with battery energy storage systems (BESS) still felt experimental. Today, it’s at the heart of national energy transition strategies and rapidly proving that reliable, round the clock solar is no longer a futuristic concept but a real, scalable solution.

Why Solar and Storage Is Surging

Two forces are driving the acceleration: economics and necessity.

On the supply side, costs have collapsed. Since 2010, battery pack prices have plunged by 93%, reaching just USD 192/kWh for utility-scale systems in 2024. Meanwhile, global solar module prices have been pushed to record lows thanks to overcapacity and industrial policy. Add in advances in new chemistries like lithium iron phosphate and sodium ion designed to perform better in hot climates and suddenly solar plus storage is no longer a premium option. It’s the cheapest, smartest bet.

On the demand side, the logic is simple physics. Solar production peaks at midday, but demand surges in the evening. Without storage, that mismatch creates steep ramps and grid instability. With storage, midday surpluses can be shifted to evening peaks, while batteries simultaneously provide frequency response, reserves, and flexibility.

And the applications keep multiplying. Data centres are turning to grid-interactive BESS instead of diesel UPS systems, earning extra revenue when idle. In East Africa, battery-swap stations powered by rooftop PV now handle tens of thousands of daily e-motorcycle swaps relieving weak urban grids while unlocking a new model for electric mobility.

Emerging Markets Take the Lead

Perhaps the most exciting shift is how emerging economies are embracing PV BESS not as an “alternative,” but as mainstream infrastructure.

• In Rwanda, the USD 187 million Bugesera hybrid project (60 MW PV + 60 MWh BESS) will secure evening power for the country’s new international airport while reinforcing the grid.
• In Egypt, IFC is backing a 300 MWh battery to complement the 500 MW Kom Ombo solar park.

Off grid, containerised mini-grids are scaling at record speed. In northern Nigeria and coastal Kenya, batteries sized for evening commercial demand have cut diesel generator use by more than 85%. The result? Longer business hours, more reliable power for schools and clinics, and new agro-processing enterprises that couldn’t run on diesel alone.

The World Bank estimates that by 2030, solar mini-grids could deliver reliable Tier 3 electricity to 380 million people in Africa at the lowest life cycle cost provided hybrid PV-BESS systems remain the default design.

The Challenges That Must Be Tackled

Of course, the rapid rise of PV-BESS brings its own set of hurdles:

• Battery end-of-life management: Without recycling and stewardship frameworks, today’s solution could become tomorrow’s waste crisis.
• Access to affordable finance: Concessional capital remains critical until local lenders gain confidence in merchant storage projects.
• Local value creation: Building assembly plants and training technicians can help keep more benefits onshore.
• Regulatory clarity: Storage licensing, tariffs, and grid-service remuneration need clear rules to unlock scaling.

The Digital & Long-Duration Frontier

Today’s batteries are no longer “just hardware.” Every megawatt hour is now paired with digital optimisation AI driven forecasting, predictive maintenance, and dispatch algorithms that squeeze out more value while managing battery life in hot conditions.

Meanwhile, suppliers are racing to commercialise long-duration chemistries and second life EV batteries, both of which could make storage even more bankable for emerging markets.

Looking Ahead

The story is clear: PV BESS is no longer a stopgap or “nice to have.” It is evolving into the backbone of resilient, flexible, renewable-based power systems worldwide. Whether for national grids, data centres, or rural communities, solar plus storage is reshaping what it means to generate, store, and use electricity and it’s only just getting started.

🔑 In short: Solar + BESS has crossed the threshold from experiment to essential infrastructure. Costs are falling, applications are multiplying, and emerging markets are proving that this technology is not just a tool for transition it’s the foundation of a reliable, sustainable energy future.