Discussions at Infocast’s recent Projects & Money Conference highlighted a growing sense of confidence across the solar and energy storage markets, signaling a continued shift toward a more mature, fundamentals-driven industry.
Across panels and conversations, industry leaders emphasized disciplined development, thoughtful capital deployment, and long-term value creation as key priorities — reflecting an evolution beyond reliance on incentives alone. While policy support remains an important accelerator, many attendees noted that solar’s competitiveness increasingly stands on its own.
Recent analyses underscore this shift. Independent studies from organizations such as the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and Lazard show that unsubsidized utility-scale solar is now among the most cost-effective sources of new electricity generation, with levelized costs that often undercut conventional fossil fuel alternatives. In addition to cost advantages, solar’s relatively short development and construction timelines allow projects to move from planning to operation in months rather than years, providing a meaningful advantage in today’s capacity-constrained market.
Battery energy storage systems (BESS) were also a prominent focus throughout the conference. As storage deployment continues to scale, its role in enhancing grid reliability and flexibility is becoming increasingly central to project development strategies. According to forecasts from Ascend Analytics, more than 30 U.S. states are expected to show strong market conditions for BESS over the next five years, reflecting growing demand for solutions that balance renewable generation and support grid stability.
The pairing of solar and storage is helping address longstanding concerns around intermittency and reliability. By storing excess daytime generation for use during peak demand periods, providing backup power during outages, and smoothing fluctuations in output, solar-plus-storage projects are increasingly viewed as comprehensive energy solutions rather than standalone generation assets.
Attendees at the Projects & Money Conference noted that this convergence of cost competitiveness, speed to market, and reliability marks a defining moment for the sector. As the energy transition enters its next chapter, the industry’s focus is shifting toward execution, risk management, and long-term planning — hallmarks of a maturing infrastructure market.
With continued collaboration among developers, investors, utilities, and policymakers, solar and energy storage are poised to play a central role in meeting future electricity demand while supporting broader decarbonization goals.
At BioStar Renewables, we’re encouraged by the conversations coming out of Infocast’s Projects & Money Conference, which reinforced what we’re seeing across our own development and financing efforts: solar and energy storage have entered a more mature, fundamentals-driven phase. The emphasis on disciplined capital deployment, execution certainty, and long-term value closely aligns with how we approach project development.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue the conversation at Infocast’s upcoming Solar + Wind Finance & Investment Conference in Phoenix, AZ, March 15 – 18. As developers, investors, and capital providers dig deeper into how renewable projects are financed and scaled, we see these discussions as critical to advancing bankable, resilient clean energy infrastructure nationwide.
