October 1, 2025 Reducing utility exposure is a serious business imperative. Boards and leadership teams want to stabilize energy costs, protect uptime, and demonstrate to stakeholders and investors that their sustainability commitments are real. Solar and EV charging have moved beyond optics; they’re core to a modern risk-management strategy.
KMB Design Group is a licensed, full-service engineering partner for solar, battery energy storage (BESS), and EV charging infrastructure that work together as one unified, scalable system.
How Grid Dependence Has Grown
For decades, a centralized grid with one-way power flows served relatively stable loads. Today, conditions are different. In July, the U.S. grid saw electricity demand spike to record highs twice in one week, all driven by severe heat and surging usage. The impact? Higher prices during peak hours and a much slimmer margin for error. NERC’s Summer 2025 reliability outlook doesn’t sugarcoat it, either. They’re highlighting real risks of shortfalls when broad heatwaves hit.
Regionally, demand’s taking off faster than anyone predicted. In the mid-Atlantic, planners anticipate a notable jump in summer peaks as data centers expand. In New York, reliability margins are tightening because retirements are outpacing new generations. The window for affordable, reliable power is shrinking, right when facilities need it most.
Why Move Away from Grid Dependence?
Solar paired with storage helps manage unpredictable energy costs by controlling loads and avoiding peak demand charges. Storage stabilizes budgets by reducing volatility. On-site PV and BESS also hedge against seasonal demand surges and fuel price shocks to keep costs more predictable, even during high-stress grid events.
As more companies and customers expect EV charging, supporting the new load with PV and BESS keeps energy bills in check and ensures infrastructure is ready for growth. Building the right capacity now allows you to scale without disruption as EV adoption and public charging networks accelerate.
How Does KMB Deliver?
We start by understanding your energy profile through load analysis and feasibility studies, pinpointing where solar, storage, and EV charging deliver maximum value. Expect real data, not assumptions. Our engineering team handles the technical details: interconnection packages, solar layouts, carports, trackers, and the necessary studies to meet regulatory and operational requirements.
We right-size BESS for demand management and backup, then engineer EV infrastructure—stand-alone or integrated—to balance charging speed, dwell time, and site capacity.
KMB has delivered solar solutions at more than 2,400 locations, totaling nearly 7,000 MW across ground-mount, rooftop, and carport installations, supported by comprehensive BESS and EV charging expertise.
What Does KMB’s Solar and EV Charging Solutions Entail?
We offer detailed production and savings modeling to guide investment and maximize ROI. Our services include complete construction, permit documentation, and quality assurance, encompassing structural analysis and system upgrades from construction to final system handoff.
Results You Can Expect:
- Lower total energy costs by using batteries to flatten peaks and aligning EV charging with solar production. Independent studies confirm strong potential for demand-charge savings.
- Enhanced resilience, with storage that supports operations during outages and enables participation in emerging programs such as virtual power plants.
- Stronger ESG outcomes, backed by visible, on-site renewables and EV amenities for employees and visitors.
Ready for what’s next? Explore KMB’s solar engineering and EV charging services, and connect with our team. Let’s develop a site plan that reduces grid dependence, supports your EV growth, and keeps your business ahead of the curve.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How does solar and battery storage actually cut demand charges and reduce grid dependence with solar and EV charging?
Solar offsets daytime load while battery storage discharges during the billing intervals that set your peak. With managed EV charging aligned to PV output and off-peak windows, your site draws less power during the most expensive hours, lowering demand charges and steadily reducing grid dependence.
Will I need a costly utility service upgrade to add workplace or fleet EV fast charging?
Often, no. A right-sized battery can supply short high-power bursts for DC fast charging without upsizing your service. Smart charging and load management cap site demand, and a phased rollout lets you start with priority chargers and expand as utilization grows.
What drives ROI and payback for a solar + storage + EV project?
Your tariff, load profile, and incentives do most of the work. Demand-charge levels, time-of-use rates, and expected EV load growth shape savings, while solar production, battery cycling strategy, and federal or state incentives influence payback. KMB models production, demand-charge impacts, and charging behavior so you can compare scenarios and select the best design.