What is the solar uncommon dialogue?The Solar Uncommon Dialogue was established in 2023 to develop new tools, best practices, and other consensus-based strategies to improve large-scale solar siting and permitting outcomes for communities and the solar industry.
How can on-site solar PV & energy storage improve sustainability?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.
What is the solar energy initiative?This initiative is co-convened by Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment, The Nature Conservancy, the Solar Energy Industries Association, and SI2. Land-use conflicts over the siting and permitting of proposed large-scale solar facilities have increased as demand for solar energy has increased.
Should solar PV production be reduced on-site?Increasing the amount of solar PV production on-site can provide additional cost and emission reductions and resiliency benefits for facilities. However, the additional generation that can result from larger systems during peak daylight hours must be exported or managed through curtailment on-site.
Can on-site storage be used alongside solar PV?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.
What are the benefits of an on-site solar PV system?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 faciliti
Jun 8, 2023 · The model works as follows: a company looking to lower its carbon footprint across multiple sites enters a partnership with an energy service
Aug 4, 2019 · Advantages of Solar Power Language reviewed in this dialogue (audio file) includes solar panels, environment, and pollution, as well as language for listing the advantages of
Jun 14, 2022 · Phuntsho Namgyel said households with solar panels can become "prosumers", meaning they can be both the producer and consumer of energy.
Sep 16, 2021 · On Tiananmen Square, China''s very heart, an 850 square metre solar installation is in operation. The panels sit on the roof of the Great Hall of
May 21, 2025 · The impact was swift. Spurred by falling solar panel prices, and some of the highest retail electricity tariffs in South Asia, Pakistan experienced
Jan 29, 2025 · A worker inspects solar panels at a plant on Karampuang Island, in West Sulawesi, Indonesia, 2022. Although investment from China surged
Apr 10, 2025 · Solar Energy Solutions take center stage as Huawei and CNI unite to drive Nigeria''s clean energy future—explore insights, innovations, and
4 days ago · It is now possible to dispose one''s own autonomous energy ecosystems that can continuously meet up to 100% of one''s own electricity
Mar 27, 2024 · Solar arrays have been illegally installed in Hubei province on farmland important to China''s food security, CCTV (China Central Television) has reported. The land is
Oct 11, 2023 · Signatories to the Solar Uncommon Dialogue agreement have committed to improving large-scale solar development based on the "3Cs":
Apr 29, 2025 · Southeast Asia''s solar exports have primarily targeted the US, with more than 80% of the equipment it imported in the first half of 2024 sourced
Aug 24, 2021 · Onsite solar is easily installed on rooftops or as ground-mounted panels on business property. Investing in solar installations creates a tangible
Jul 30, 2021 · Thailand is in the midst of a policy shift toward solar projects. China''s foothold in producing solar panels in Thailand, as well as investing in
Jul 11, 2025 · In November 2024, more than 15 years after the solar panels were installed in that community, social media reports on maintenance works stated it was still providing power to
Jul 17, 2024 · Discover how UAE''s Abdulla Balalaa, at the UN''s Critical Energy Transition Minerals Panel in Copenhagen, advocates for sustainable mineral extraction and equitable
Jun 14, 2024 · Student Brenda Rodrigues da Silva works on the installation of solar panels at Fábrica Social, a professional training centre in Brasília, Brazil.
Jun 1, 2023 · China Dialogue sought comment from Lesotho''s principal secretary of energy, ''Masekhobe Moholobela, but received no reply. Inside the kiosk
Sep 10, 2024 · On-site solar energy is the optimum ESG tool due to its unmatched financial and environmental benefits. A single project can produce millions in cost-savings and maximize
Jan 31, 2023 · The second instalment of this two-part series visits the Garissa solar power plant in northeastern Kenya to explore the role of renewables in
Jun 12, 2024 · In this report, we analyse the scale of the benefits that would accrue through supporting deployment of panels produced with this ''spare''
Oct 12, 2023 · In a landmark accord, major solar developers, conservation groups, agricultural organizations, environmental and environmental justice
Oct 19, 2023 · In response, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Stanford University and The Nature Conservancy launched the Solar Uncommon Dialogue to minimize land use
May 20, 2022 · Clear skies over Oruro department in Bolivia. The Altiplano plateau in western Bolivia has some of the world''s highest and most
Oct 25, 2023 · Today, solar panels can be spotted in farms across many parts of South and Southeast Asia. Most of these power irrigation pumps, but an
Nov 26, 2013 · Solar panels glitter in the sun atop virtually every roof in Leh, the capital of India''s Ladakh region in the Hindu Kush Himalayas. Leh gets more
Oct 6, 2021 · A large-scale, grid-connected solar plant in Bhutan, the first of its kind, is part of a drive to enhance energy security and diversify electricity
Dec 22, 2022 · The Sonora Plan features solar power, targets lithium and promotes the electric vehicle industry, but experts say it lacks clarity An
Apr 18, 2024 · An experimental solar power station on the Yellow Sea near Yantai, north-east China. Solar farms at sea may make it easier to serve
Oct 25, 2024 · View of one of the 28 power plants of the Santa Luzia solar complex, in the arid Seridó region, in Paraíba state, Brazil. By 2027, the
Jun 23, 2025 · US manufacturers do not produce enough solar panels to meet the nation''s demand, but industry investments and federal tax incentives have been making progress.
2 days ago · Land-use conflicts over the siting and permitting of proposed large-scale solar facilities have increased as demand for solar energy has increased. The Solar Uncommon
Dec 3, 2019 · One hour west of Cambodia''s capital an array of iridescent panels stretches between palm trees, glistening through dust clouds from a
May 20, 2021 · The deployment of floating solar panels is growing in popularity around the world. Some experts expect it soon to become a "third pillar" of
Apr 13, 2022 · NGOs and a federal programme bring solar energy to people with limited to no electricity access. The majority are in the Amazon, which lacks
May 19, 2025 · They told Dialogue Earth that in 2017, a local energy firm installed over 10,000 square metres of solar panels on the factory roof for free. "We signed a 20-year contract with
3 days ago · On-site Solar offers a holistic solution for organizations seeking multi-site onsite solar implementation. It provides numerous benefits, including
Aug 1, 2025 · Solar-powered desalination plants are offering a lifeline to communities in the most climate-ravaged part of Bangladesh''s coast, where rising sea levels, floods and tidal surges
Apr 18, 2024 · China is increasingly seeking to put solar panels on the seas off its coastline, with some state-run companies experimenting as far offshore as 30
The Solar Uncommon Dialogue was established in 2023 to develop new tools, best practices, and other consensus-based strategies to improve large-scale solar siting and permitting outcomes for communities and the solar industry.
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.
This initiative is co-convened by Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment, The Nature Conservancy, the Solar Energy Industries Association, and SI2. Land-use conflicts over the siting and permitting of proposed large-scale solar facilities have increased as demand for solar energy has increased.
Increasing the amount of solar PV production on-site can provide additional cost and emission reductions and resiliency benefits for facilities. However, the additional generation that can result from larger systems during peak daylight hours must be exported or managed through curtailment on-site.
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.
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.
The global commercial and industrial solar energy storage battery market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with demand increasing by over 400% in the past three years. Large-scale battery storage solutions now account for approximately 45% of all new commercial solar installations worldwide. North America leads with 42% market share, driven by corporate sustainability goals and federal investment tax credits that reduce total system costs by 30-35%. Europe follows with 35% market share, where standardized industrial storage designs have cut installation timelines by 60% compared to custom solutions. Asia-Pacific represents the fastest-growing region at 50% CAGR, with manufacturing innovations reducing system prices by 20% annually. Emerging markets are adopting commercial storage for peak shaving and energy cost reduction, with typical payback periods of 3-6 years. Modern industrial installations now feature integrated systems with 50kWh to multi-megawatt capacity at costs below $500/kWh for complete energy solutions.
Technological advancements are dramatically improving solar energy storage battery performance while reducing costs for commercial applications. Next-generation battery management systems maintain optimal performance with 50% less energy loss, extending battery lifespan to 20+ years. Standardized plug-and-play designs have reduced installation costs from $1,000/kW to $550/kW since 2022. Smart integration features now allow industrial systems to operate as virtual power plants, increasing business savings by 40% through time-of-use optimization and grid services. Safety innovations including multi-stage protection and thermal management systems have reduced insurance premiums by 30% for commercial storage installations. New modular designs enable capacity expansion through simple battery additions at just $450/kWh for incremental storage. These innovations have improved ROI significantly, with commercial projects typically achieving payback in 4-7 years depending on local electricity rates and incentive programs. Recent pricing trends show standard industrial systems (50-100kWh) starting at $25,000 and premium systems (200-500kWh) from $100,000, with flexible financing options available for businesses.