Are energy storage projects different than power industry project finance?

Most groups involved with project development usually agree that energy storage projects are not necessarily different than a typical power industry project finance transaction, especially with regards to risk allocation.

What are energy storage systems?

Energy storage systems are not primary electricity sources, meaning the technology does not create electricity from a fuel or natural resource. Instead, they store electricity that has already been created from an electricity generator or the electric power grid, which makes energy storage systems secondary sources of electricity.

Should energy storage projects be developed?

However, energy storage project development does bring with it a greater number of moving parts to the projects, so developers must consider storage’s unique technology, policy and regulatory mandates, and market issues—as they exist now, and as the market continues to evolve.

How do energy storage systems work?

Instead, they store electricity that has already been created from an electricity generator or the electric power grid, which makes energy storage systems secondary sources of electricity. Energy storage systems use more electricity for charging than they provide when supplying electricity to the electricity grid.

What are energy storage needs in the power sector?

For many decades, energy storage needs in the power sector primarily revolved around the use of pumped hydro systems at the utility scale level, and lead acid batteries for either UPS systems at power facilities and substations or supporting off-grid applications.

What economic inputs are included in the energy storage model?

The economic inputs into the model will include both the revenue and costs for the project. Revenue for the energy storage project will either be expressed as a contracted revenue stream from a PPA (Power Purchase Agreement), derived from merchant activity by the facility, or some combination thereof.