As any utility will tell you, reliability is king.

Utilities across the country are facing growing demand as folks move into cities and towns—and the use of electric vehicles continues to expand. Right now, utilities face a herculean task of meeting increasing demand from the electrification of the manufacturing and energy sectors, reinforced by the proliferation of electric vehicles.

This electrification comes at a time when the electric grid is increasingly distributed and renewable-driven, creating a challenge for utilities that are deeply committed to continuing to provide reliable, cost-effective electricity to their customers.

The deployment of new technologies has a critical role to play in continuing to sustainably and cost-effectively deliver that reliability. Enter: energy storage, with or without solar PV, the “Swiss Army knife” of solutions.

As utilities evaluate partners to meet growing demand—it is important to ask key questions that will help you select the right folks to support the energy transition. Below are 15 key questions to ask your utility-scale energy storage or solar-plus-storage partner.