If you own solar panels with no battery, or you’re about to buy storage for the first time, this week handed you two very different answers to the same question: how much battery do you actually need, and how do you pay for it? On July 13, 2026, SolarEdge opened nationwide U.S. orders for its Nexis platform, a modular solar-and-storage system that snaps together like building blocks and scales from 5 kWh all the way to 80 kWh on a single inverter. Three days earlier, Palmetto launched its Energy Backup Plan, a $0-down, $98/month battery lease aimed squarely at the estimated 4 million American homeowners who already have solar but no storage. Two launches in one week. Together they’re changing the math on sizing and financing a home battery system right now.

You might be wondering why any of this matters if you’re not in the market today. Here’s the honest answer: the federal incentive picture shifted dramatically at the start of 2026. The residential 30% solar-and-storage tax credit under Section 25D was eliminated for systems installed after December 31, 2025. The only active federal pathway for homeowners now runs through Section 48E, which covers third-party-owned systems like leases and subscriptions, and it runs only through the end of 2027. That changes the calculus on whether to own your battery outright or let someone else own it. These two July launches land squarely in that new reality.

Key takeaways
  • SolarEdge Nexis opened U.S. orders July 13, 2026, scaling from 5 kWh to 80 kWh on one inverter.
  • The residential 30% tax credit (Section 25D) is gone for 2026 installs; Section 48E leases still qualify through 2027.
  • Palmetto's $98/month battery lease targets 4 million solar homeowners who currently have no storage.
  • Nexis installs in under 30 minutes; lower labor costs could meaningfully cut total installed price.
  • Wood Mackenzie projects 12% average annual residential storage growth through 2031 despite a 2026 dip.

What the Nexis Platform Actually Changes

The Nexis isn’t just another battery. The architecture is genuinely different. SolarEdge built it with a click-together, no-wiring module design, and according to reporting from Electrek, SolarEdge claims full installation in under 30 minutes versus the multi-hour process typical of current systems. That’s not a minor footnote. Labor is a significant chunk of battery installation cost, and faster installs mean installers can price jobs more competitively or take on more volume.

The platform covers inverter sizes from 3.8 kW to 13 kW, so it fits a wide range of homes, from a modest suburban house with a small panel array to a larger home running heavy loads. The inverter itself is manufactured in the U.S., which SolarEdge confirmed in its July 13 press release positions Nexis for domestic-content compliance under post-OBBBA rules. That matters for commercial projects and could matter for future residential incentive structures too.

The Germany debut in March 2026 reportedly generated record installer order volumes for SolarEdge. Installer enthusiasm tends to precede consumer availability in a meaningful way. When installers are excited, training scales faster and regional availability expands more quickly.

The Sizing Question: 5 kWh or 80 kWh?

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This is where most homeowners get lost. The Nexis range is unusually wide. Here’s what I tell people: your sizing target depends almost entirely on what you’re trying the battery to do.

GoalTypical size neededNotes
Overnight essentials (lights, fridge, phone charging)5–10 kWhCovers most outages under 12 hours
Full-home backup through a 24-hour outage20–30 kWhIncludes HVAC, depending on climate
Multi-day resilience or EV charging backup40–80 kWhPair with strong solar array; high upfront cost
Time-of-use rate arbitrage only5–15 kWhNo backup needed; about shifting when you draw from grid

For most households, the 10–20 kWh range is the practical sweet spot. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has consistently found average U.S. household daily consumption around 29 kWh, but backup loads, the things you actually need during an outage, are usually far lower. The Nexis modular system lets you start smaller and add capacity later, which is a meaningful advantage if you’re not sure where your needs will land.

The Lease Option: Who Should Take Palmetto’s Deal?

The Palmetto Energy Backup Plan is interesting precisely because it’s not for everyone. $98 a month over 12 years is $14,112 total. If you own your battery outright, you avoid that ongoing cost. But with Section 25D gone, a homeowner paying cash for a battery system in 2026 gets no federal tax break. A leased battery under Section 48E can still access federal incentives through the financing structure. That’s a real difference.

Here’s what I tell people considering the lease: run the numbers against your local utility rate and outage history. If you’re in California, Texas, or Florida, where grid reliability concerns are high and rate structures increasingly favor storage, $98 a month for guaranteed backup with no capital outlay may be a reasonable trade. If you’re in a mild climate with a reliable grid and you have the cash, ownership usually wins over a 12-year horizon.

The 4 million solar-only homeowners Palmetto is targeting are a specific group. They made a bet on panels, often years ago, and got left out when battery prices dropped. This subscription model is designed to meet them where they are: no upfront cost, no contractor headaches, just a monthly line item.

Nexis battery capacity options vs. common backup goals (kWh)
Essentials only7 kWh
Full-home 24hr25 kWh
Multi-day + EV60 kWh
Nexis max80 kWh
Source: SolarEdge Nexis specs, SolarEdge Press Release July 2026

What the Growth Projections Tell You About Timing

Wood Mackenzie analysts are projecting 12% average annual residential storage growth through 2031, even with a slight dip expected in 2026. A dip in the growth rate, not in the market. The storage market is still expanding, just more slowly in a year when the tax credit disappeared and interest rates have stayed elevated.

That context matters for your timing decision. Hardware is getting better fast. Financing options are broadening. Installer competition is increasing, especially as systems like Nexis reduce per-job labor time. If you’re not in an urgent resilience situation, waiting six months to watch Nexis pricing settle and installer competition heat up is a reasonable call. If you’re in a storm-prone area heading into the heart of summer 2026, the calculus tips toward moving now.

The honest takeaway from this particular week is that the storage market is in a genuine transition. The old incentive structure is gone. New hardware architectures are arriving. Third-party financing is filling the gap the tax credit left. For the curious homeowner trying to make a smart call, the good news is that you have more real options right now than you did even six months ago.

Sources

Photo: Kindel Media via Pexels

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