As the need for energy storage expands, consumers are getting in on the action. According to the market research firm GTM Research, the market for behind-the-meter (BTM) storage is prepared to capitalize on this trend.

A report released by the company in December, “The Behind-the-Meter Energy Storage Landscape 2016–2021: Market Trends, Frameworks and Evolution,” recognizes that the market is small, but rapid change is expected. The report projects that the BTM segment will grow from about 15 percent of the total energy-storage market in the United States to about half of the market by 2021.


Several factors will contribute to this growth. Improved economics make BTM storage more attractive to customers. As the cost of solar installations continues to fall, more consumers will want to couple their panels with an energy-storage system to help them maximize their savings. 


Policies such as net metering and demand response will also play a role. In areas where utilities have adopted policies that make it cost-effective to generate and store solar power, storage technology will make this a winning proposition.


The report adds that an increasing interest in reliability and resiliency also contribute to the rising demand for storage.


According to the report, the biggest markets for BTM storage are in California, New York, Hawaii and the PJM Interconnection service area (which covers 13 states and the District of Columbia), but as circumstances favorable to the technology become more prevalent, other U.S. markets will grow, as well.