• Solar-plus-storage enables 24/7 power as battery costs plunge
• LFP batteries dominate, with 80% of 2023 installations
• Emerging markets adopt solar-storage, e.g., Rwanda airport project

The integration of photovoltaic solar with battery storage has become a central strategy in energy planning, transforming solar power from an intermittent resource into a reliable, 24/7 power solution. This shift is primarily driven by a dramatic decline in the cost of batteries and significant technological advancements.

This transformation is underpinned by a sharp drop in battery prices. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the average price for large-scale batteries has decreased by 93% since 2010, reaching $192 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in 2024. A more recent report from Ember in June 2025 noted a 40% decline in just one year, with the average price at $165 per kWh in 2024, and even as low as $72 per kWh in Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

This economic shift is largely due to the rising popularity of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which accounted for 80% of new installations in 2023. These batteries are safer, more affordable, and now offer guarantees of up to 20 years, making them a less risky investment.

By pairing solar with storage, the need for fossil fuel plants to operate at night is reduced. Solar becomes a "dispatchable" resource capable of providing continuous power. Ember's analysis shows that in Las Vegas, for example, about 17 kWh of batteries are enough to deliver an average of 1 kW continuously over 24 hours, proving the feasibility of "24/7 solar."

This evolution is already taking hold in emerging markets. Rwanda is implementing a project in Bugesera with a 60 MW solar PV system paired with a 60 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) to secure power for its new airport. Similar projects are either underway or operational in Egypt and other West African nations like Senegal and Togo.

Abdoullah Diop