24-Hour Solar Is No Longer a Dream — It’s a Cost-Effective Reality
A new report from the energy think tank Ember, written by Kostantsa Rangelova and Dave Jones, finds that solar electricity can now be delivered around the clock in sunny cities—reliably and at a lower cost than new coal, nuclear, and in some cases even natural gas.
The technology isn’t new. What’s changed is the economics.
In Las Vegas, for example, combining 5 kilowatts of solar panels with a 17 kilowatt-hour battery is now enough to provide a stable 1 kilowatt of electricity throughout the day and night. This setup can deliver 97 percent of the electricity needed for full 24/7 coverage over the course of a year.
The cost of this near-continuous solar power is now just $104 per megawatt-hour. That’s 22 percent cheaper than the same setup would have cost only a year ago—and cheaper than the cost of new coal plants ($118/MWh) or new nuclear facilities ($182/MWh).
The Key Driver: Plunging Battery Costs
The report credits much of the improvement to falling battery prices. In 2024, average global battery costs dropped by 40 percent—from $275 to $165 per kilowatt-hour. In some regions, they’ve fallen even lower. A pair of 2025 tenders in Saudi Arabia reported battery costs as low as $72 per kilowatt-hour.
Because batteries now account for a smaller share of total project costs, this price shift is transforming the economics of solar-plus-storage systems. In 2023, batteries made up nearly half of the total cost to deliver 24-hour solar. In 2024, that share dropped to just over one-third.
Real-World Applications
Solar-plus-storage systems are no longer experimental. They’re being deployed today at utility scale and by large commercial energy users. Examples include:
The first gigawatt-scale 24-hour solar project in the United Arab Emirates, announced in early 2025.
Data centers in Arizona and Dubai now running on solar power with battery backup.
Industrial microgrids in West Virginia and Saudi Arabia supplying around-the-clock solar power to heavy manufacturing and tourism developments.
In the U.S., 75 percent of new solar projects awaiting grid connection in 2023 were paired with batteries.
Why This Matters
The availability of cost-effective, near-constant solar electricity is a turning point. It reduces reliance on fossil fuels. It makes it possible to bring power to remote regions without waiting for expensive grid infrastructure. And it gives industrial users—especially those with high reliability needs—an alternative to gas-fired generation.
The report also highlights how battery-backed solar can reduce the need for costly grid expansions. In sunny regions, up to five times more solar capacity can be installed using existing grid connections, simply by storing excess generation for use at night.
The Challenge Now Is Policy, Not Technology
The report is clear: the technology is ready, and the economics make sense. What’s missing is widespread adoption.
Planners, regulators, and investors still think of solar as a daytime-only resource. That view is now outdated. Batteries are changing what solar can do, and fast.
As Ember’s lead author Kostantsa Rangelova puts it, “This is a turning point in the clean energy transition… Now it’s time for policy and investment to catch up.”