For a business, manufacturer, municipality or critical facility, “we need more resilient power” can mean several different things. It might mean lowering purchased electricity, shaving peaks, keeping selected loads running during an outage, adding capacity where the grid is constrained, or maintaining operations for hours or days when utility power is unavailable.
That is why photovoltaic solar (PV), battery energy storage systems (BESS) and generators should not be treated as interchangeable products. They can complement each other, but each technology contributes something different.
Start with the load, not the equipment
A useful first step is to define four things: how much power the facility uses, when it uses it, which loads are truly critical, and how long those critical loads need to operate if the grid is unavailable. A facility with a daytime manufacturing load has a different profile from a 24/7 data-intensive operation or an emergency-services site.
Once those questions are clear, the technology mix becomes easier to evaluate.
What solar PV is good at
Solar PV produces electricity when sunlight is available. For facilities with strong daytime loads and suitable roof or land area, it can offset purchased electricity and create a predictable source of on-site generation. Solar by itself, however, does not guarantee continuous power during a grid outage. A resilience-focused design may require controls, storage, generation or other equipment depending on the goal.
What BESS adds
Battery storage can shift energy across time. Depending on the system design and market rules, that can support peak management, solar self-consumption, short-duration backup, demand response or other grid-interactive strategies.
Virginia’s 2026 legislation also changed part of the siting framework for battery storage paired with already approved commercial solar facilities. Under Virginia Code § 15.2-2316.10, qualifying battery projects can be treated as a permitted accessory use on certain parcels that already hold an approved solar special exception, subject to the statute’s capacity and safety conditions.
What generators add
Generators can provide dispatchable power when fuel is available. For facilities that need extended backup, have very high loads or cannot tolerate a long interruption, generation may remain part of the resilience architecture even when solar and batteries are included. The tradeoffs are different: fuel supply, emissions, maintenance, permitting, operating cost and runtime all matter.
When a microgrid becomes relevant
A microgrid is not simply another piece of equipment. It is an operating architecture that coordinates generation, storage, controls and loads so a facility or group of facilities can operate with greater control—and in some designs, separate from the utility grid during an outage.
The value of a microgrid tends to rise as the project becomes more complex: multiple generation sources, critical loads, strict uptime requirements, utility constraints, islanding requirements or a need to optimize several assets together.
A practical decision sequence
- Define the objective: lower energy cost, improve resilience, add capacity, meet a sustainability requirement, or some combination.
- Map the load: interval demand, critical load, seasonal patterns and expected growth.
- Understand the site: roof, land, electrical infrastructure, utility service, fuel access and physical constraints.
- Set the resilience target: which loads must survive and for how long.
- Screen technologies: PV, BESS, generators, controls and utility-side options.
- Build the right partner team: engineering, EPC, equipment, finance, controls and permitting capability should fit the project rather than the other way around.
The biggest mistake: forcing the project into one technology
Some sites will be well served by solar alone. Others will need storage. Others may need generation first, or a microgrid that combines several technologies. The correct answer depends on the facility and the commercial objective.
For larger projects, SolutionsER.com’s role is to help define the requirement and connect the opportunity with the partners capable of delivering the appropriate solution.