Solar and battery storage sectors introduce new software and financing models

The residential solar and battery storage sector is seeing new developments in software and financing models. Texas-based Sol-Ark has launched the MySolArk Installer app, a mobile-first tool designed to streamline the installation of residential solar-plus-storage systems. The app guides technicians through commissioning, hardware validation, battery configuration, and grid settings, aiming to reduce setup errors and shorten installation times.

In Illinois, Solrite Energy has introduced a solar-plus-storage program for homeowners in ComEd and Ameren territories. The program offers a 60-kWh battery system with no upfront cost, where Solrite owns and maintains the equipment while homeowners purchase the generated power under a 25-year agreement. This large-scale storage capacity is intended to help residents manage energy use following recent changes to Illinois net metering policies, allowing excess solar power to be stored for nighttime use rather than exported to the grid.