The U.S. Department of Energy, meanwhile, is gathering proposals for $15 million worth of research projects aimed at finding more effective ways to combine photovoltaic and storage technology. One goal is to lower the cost of storing solar power to no more than the projected average U.S. grid price for residential power in 2020: 14 cents per kilowatt-hour. Solar storage currently costs about 20 cents to $1 per kilowatt-hour