Calculating your solar payback period is straightforward: Divide the cost of installing your system by the amount of money you'll save each year. Total system cost ÷ annual savings = solar payback period Let's walk through a real example using actual EnergySage numbers. For the average solar shopper, that translates to around $57,000 in savings over 25 years. Your payback period depends on your electricity costs, system size, and. . Simple payback is fast to estimate but ignores time value of money. Use NPV/IRR for real decision‑making. Top drivers of ROI: up‑front net cost, utility rate & escalation, self‑consumption/netting rules, system yield, and O&M/replacements. Battery storage improves economics where time‑of‑use (TOU). . Energy payback time (EPBT) is the time required for a PV system to generate the same amount of energy used during system manufacturing, operation, and disposal. The return on investment (ROI) for solar storage can significantly influence whether homeowners and businesses opt to install these. . For many potential investors, the real returns and payback periods of solar energy battery storage projects remain unclear. Is it four years, eight years, or even longer? To calculate returns, we must first look at the main revenue streams. It is usually expressed as a percentage and reflects the overall profitability and efficiency of the investment. For example, if a commercial ESS costs $100,000 and saves $20,000 in. .