Commercial Battery Storage

Cut demand charges. Keep operations running when the grid goes down. Bank the federal tax credit.

SES designs, engineers and installs commercial battery energy storage systems (BESS) for manufacturers, distilleries, farms, schools, healthcare, food and beverage, and public facilities across the Midwest, Mid Atlantic and Southeast. One in-house team handles the whole project, from load analysis to commissioning.

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Years of Experience

Solar Installations

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Fully In-House Team

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NABCEP Certified

Why storage, why now

Storage Is Now the Strongest Incentive Play in Commercial Energy

The federal rules for commercial solar changed in 2025. Battery storage kept its long runway. Standalone batteries and batteries added to an existing solar array still qualify for the federal Investment Tax Credit (48e), with bonus credits for qualifying projects.

For a business with high demand charges or no tolerance for downtime, a battery is no longer an add-on. It’s an investment that can stand on its own.

Our Process

What a commercial battery does

Three ways a battery pays for itself

1. Reduce demand charges (peak Shaving)

Most commercial utility bills include a demand charge based on your highest 15 or 30 minute spike in power use. Under many tariffs, one spike can set that charge for months. A commercial battery watches your load in real time and discharges when demand starts to climb, so those peaks never reach the utility meter.

1. keep critical operations running

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3. Get more value from your solar

Many utilities in our region pay less for exported solar than they charge for grid power. Storage lets you use more of your own solar on site, shift it into expensive hours, and keep your savings steady as utility rates change.

Does Storage make sense for my facility

Is Commercial storage right for your business

Storage usually pays off fastest for facilities with:

High demand charges compared to total energy use.
Short, sharp load spikes from compressors, chillers, kilns, pumps, EV chargers, or motor start-ups.
Critical loads that can’t go down, such as cold storage, healthcare, data, water and wastewater, or emergency services.
Existing or planned solar that exports a large share of its production.
Rural or end-of-line service with frequent outages.
A goal to reduce or replace diesel backup generators.

Not sure? Send us 12 months of utility bills. Our engineers will model your load profile and show you what storage would save, and when it wouldn’t make sense.

Upload Your Utility Bills

Equipment

Commercial battery systems we install

Commercial storage isn’t a bigger home battery. These systems are built for three-phase service, higher power output and the controls that commercial operations need. SES chooses the platform that fits your load, site and goals.

Tesla Megapack: utility-scale storage for large campuses, airports, industrial sites, and grid-support projects
Fortress Power: scalable lithium iron phosphate storage for commercial and industrial facilities
Sol-Ark: commercial hybrid inverter and battery systems for small and mid-size businesses that need backup and solar integration
ELM Microgrid: US-built mid- and large-scale storage, often with built-in inverters and Microgrid capability

Proof

Storage projects built by SES

Indianapolis International Airport - Tesla Megapack

Battery storage that supports resilience at one of the Midwest’s busiest airports.

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Martin County Health Department, Inez, KY

A 91 kW solar array paired with 197.5 kWh of battery storage gives this public health department layered backup power, so it stays operational when its community needs it most.

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Commercial Solar Battery Storage Incentives

Explore your financing options for your next commercial/solar project.

Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC)

Commercial battery storage qualifies for the federal ITC whether it’s standalone or paired with solar. Projects that meet prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements, or are under 1 MW, can claim the full base credit. Domestic content and energy community bonuses can raise it further.

Accelerated Depreciation

Commercial batteries placed in service after January 19, 2025 qualify for 100% first-year bonus depreciation under MACRS. Paired with the federal ITC, a business can recover most of the battery’s cost in the first year.

USDA REAP Grants

Agricultural producers and rural small businesses may qualify for USDA Rural Energy for America Program grants covering part of eligible project costs

Financing

Finance storage on its own or together with solar through our financing partners: terms up to 20 years, fixed rates, and no prepayment penalties. PACE and third-party ownership may also be available.

Expert Analysis

Every SES proposal models your storage system’s full financial picture — demand charge savings, backup power value, incentive amounts, and long-term ROI.

*SES works alongside your tax advisor and CPA. Incentive eligibility depends on project specifics and your tax position.

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Process

How a commercial storage project works

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Utility bill and load review: we analyze your interval energy consumption data and demand charges.

Engineering and sizing: our in-house engineers size power (kW) and capacity (kWh) to your savings and backup goals.

Financial model: demand savings, backup value, incentives and simple payback, in one proposal.

Permitting and interconnection: we handle the utility and the local permitting office (AHJ).

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Installation and commissioning: licensed SES electricians, with no subcontractor handoffs.

Monitoring and O&M: ongoing performance monitoring and service from our O&M team.

FAQs

How much does commercial battery storage cost?

Cost depends on power (kW), capacity (kWh), site conditions and whether it’s paired with solar. Most projects are evaluated on payback after incentives, not sticker price. A demand-charge analysis is the quickest way to get a real number.

Can I add a battery to my existing solar system?

Yes. Batteries can be added to most existing commercial arrays, including systems SES didn’t install. They may still qualify for the federal tax credit.

Does storage qualify for the tax credit without solar?

Yes. Standalone storage qualifies for the federal ITC (48e). Confirm the details with your tax advisor.

How long will the battery back up my building?

That depends on which loads you back up and how large the system is. Most commercial designs protect critical loads instead of the whole facility, which keeps cost down and extends runtime.

Why a battery versus a generator?

A battery switches over without interruption, needs no fuel, runs virtually silently, and earns money every day through demand savings. Many facilities pair a battery with an existing generator for long outages.

What size battery do I need?

We size it from your 15-minute interval data and your goals. Peak shaving and backup call for different designs.

What is a microgrid?

A microgrid is a local energy system (typically solar, battery storage and sometimes a generator) that serves your facility and can run on its own when the utility grid goes down. Most of the time it runs alongside the grid and lowers your energy costs. During an outage it separates from the grid and keeps your critical loads powered.

What does “islanding” mean?

Islanding is when your system disconnects from the utility grid and runs on its own power. Your facility becomes an “island” that keeps operating while the grid goes down. When utility power returns and is stable, the system reconnects automatically.

Why doesn’t my existing solar system work during an outage?

Standard grid-tied solar inverters are required to shut off when the grid goes down. This is called anti-islanding protection, and it keeps utility line workers safe from power inadvertently fed back into lines assumed to be de-energized. To keep running during an outage, a system needs a battery, a grid-forming inverter and transfer equipment that safely separates your facility from the grid first.

Why a battery versus a generator?

A battery switches over without interruption, needs no fuel, runs virtually silent, and earns money every day through demand savings. Generators also often require a much more robust maintenance program throughout their lifecycle, including fuel and fluid changes, battery charging, etc.

Industries We Serve

Commercial

Utility

Education

Government

Institutions

Agriculture

Featured Projects

Distillery solar in Kentucky: 500 kW bifacial ground-mount array at Star Hill Farm in Loretto, Kentucky

Distillery Solar in Kentucky: 500kW at Star Hill Farm

1.23 MW Installation for Distillery in Frankfort, KY

5.5 MW National Retail Distribution Center

View Case Studies

Let's Build a Brighter Future Together

No project is too large or complex. We've completed installations ranging from small rooftop systems for local businesses to utility-scale arrays. Every system is custom-engineered for your roof space, energy load, and financial goals.

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Custom-Engineered Systems

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Incentives That Maximize ROI

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Large-Scale Local Expertise

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