Affordable solar-plus-storage ‘hard to beat’ for coal

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
For Pacificorp, early coal shutdowns could create US$238m in savings (Credit: Flickr / William Alden)

Tumbling solar-plus-storage costs could see the hybrid technology become a money saver for US firms grappling with expensive legacy coal portfolios, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).

Utilities shutting down coal units ahead of their end-of-life point and replacing them with renewables stand to reap savings in their “hundreds of millions”, the think tank claimed in a recent update.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

PacifiCorp, a subsidiary of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy, is one a raft of utilities IEEFA said is “reckoning with a new reality” of coal closures. In a recent review, the firm found early retirement of certain coal units would create “potential benefits” for its 1.8 million customers.

According to IEEFA, PacifiCorp’s coal units can’t compete with “cheaper and cleaner alternatives” despite their high power performance levels. For the firm – reportedly the largest grid operator in the US West – the savings from early closures could reach the US$248 million mark, depending on scenarios.

Cost parity with mainstream gas plants

The spotlight on ever cheaper solar-plus-storage has gradually built in recent times. As documented by sister publication Energy Storage News, new analysis claimed this month the duo can outcompete certain new-build gas generators in the US, and not only peaker plants as previously thought.

According to the review led by Fluence, utilities opting for solar-plus-storage can expect lower LCOEs (US$39-US$48/MWh) than comparable mid-merit NGCC plants (US$60-$116/MWh). For reference, some of PacifiCorp’s coal units feature LCOEs above the US$85/MWh threshold, based on the firm’s own stats.

The Berkshire Hathaway Energy subsidiary will not confirm the extent of coal phase-outs – nor the technologies that will replace it – until the late summer. For now, however, several of its scenarios would result in hundreds of megawatts of solar-plus-storage additions.

As noted by the IEEFA this week, other utilities have already finalised similar moves. Nevada’s NV Energy, for one, is shutting down coal plants even as it acts to add 1GW of solar and 100MW of battery storage capacity. Meanwhile, Colorado’s Xcel has filed proposals for solar- and wind-plus-storage at average prices of $30-$36/MWh.

See here for IEEFA's statement and here for PacifiCorp's note

7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.
21 October 2025
New York, USA
Returning for its 12th edition, Solar and Storage Finance USA Summit remains the annual event where decision-makers at the forefront of solar and storage projects across the United States and capital converge. Featuring the most active solar and storage transactors, join us for a packed two-days of deal-making, learning and networking.
16 June 2026
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 16-17 June 2026, will be our fifth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2027 and beyond.

Read Next

September 15, 2025
Sunrun has priced a securitisation of leases and power purchase agreements, taking its non-recourse debt capital raised in Q3 above US$1.5 billion. 
September 15, 2025
Norwegian energy firm Statkraft has agreed to divest a portion of its renewable energy portfolio to Serentica Renewables.
September 12, 2025
Colombian energy supplier Celsia is seeking more than US$1.2 billion in investment to build wind and solar generation projects in Peru. 
September 12, 2025
ACME Venus Urja has secured INR3.8 billion (US$43 million) to develop and construct a solar-plus-storage project in Barmer, Rajasthan.
Premium
September 12, 2025
Vote Solar's Sean Garren tells PV Tech Premium that Georgia Power's latest IRP is 'skewed so heavily towards fossil fuels'.
September 11, 2025
Founder Group has won a RM10 million (US$2.3 million) engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contract for a 30MW solar plant in Malaysia.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines