The convergence of rooftop solar PV and behind-the-meter batteries continues. On Tuesday, Japanese solar module giant Kyocera announced it has teamed up with Stem, a startup that’s installed about 6 megawatts of behind-the-meter lithium-ion batteries, to “offer an integrated solar photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage solution for commercial power users.”
Under the non-exclusive agreement, Stem will work through Kyocera’s sales channels and sales force to pitch its core business proposition — batteries that inject power into buildings when they’re about to exceed certain thresholds that trigger expensive demand charges, pricing tier changes, or other components of a typical utility rate scheme for commercial customers that can jack up bills.