Where the Real Value of Battery Storage Comes From
Battery
Facility
Market
Value
Good afternoon, customers and friends. I want to talk about batteries today. We’re getting a lot of activity around batteries, a lot of inquiries, including inquiries from those of you who sell batteries.
And what’s interesting is that even the people selling batteries often don’t fully understand or often underestimate where the value is coming from. So it’s not only the hardware, it’s, you know, how the hardware is working within the market.
01
Understanding the Battery Value Process
So what I’m sharing here, the process looks more complicated than it really is. And anybody who wants this, if you don’t, if you can’t get it from a screen grab, let me know and I’ll get it to you.
Multiple parties are involved in making, in realizing all the value that a battery can give you.
Battery
Facility Operations
Energy Market
Realized Value
But what I’d say is much of this process has existed for quite some time in delivering value for demand response and on the generator side, generation side, delivering value from dispatchable natural gas generators and entities.
So virtual power plants, for a long time called curtailment service providers, but that term has sort of morphed over time, have helped deliver this value.
So while it looks a little daunting, it’s not necessarily that complicated.
02
Is Battery Storage Worth It?
So is this all worth it? Well, the answer is yes and no.
So depending upon that particular battery and the operations of the facility and which market it is, and obviously size and things like that, will drive whether or not it makes financial sense.
The same size battery with the same sort of operation can have a very different value depending on the market.
The battery, facility operations, market environment, size, and available programs all influence whether the economics make sense.
A higher priced environment and incentive programs can materially influence the value available from the battery.
The same size battery with the same sort of operation in Texas, for example, is not nearly as valuable as it would be in, let’s just say, Massachusetts.
Massachusetts, higher priced environment, but they’ve also got a number of incentive programs that really help drive that value.
The value of battery storage depends on much more than the hardware itself. Where the asset operates can materially change the economics.
03
Determine the Value Before Buying the Battery
The important thing is to determine whether or not there’s value before you really get into the process of sizing up your battery and buying it, putting out RFP, stuff like that.
And that’s where we come in.
Understand the Opportunity
Evaluate the Market
Determine Potential Value
Move Into Procurement
So even someone who doesn’t understand batteries, doesn’t necessarily understand a lot about the energy markets or incentives that are available to them can get their answers from us.
And that’s customers, you know, load, we call it.
So C&I, institutional customers, but also those who sell batteries.
04
Helping Battery Buyers and Sellers Understand the Opportunity
So we’re helping those people too understand what opportunities look like, helping them sell, put them together with buyers to make that process more efficient.
Battery Buyers
C&I and institutional customers evaluating where battery storage may create value.
Battery Sellers
Organizations looking to better understand opportunities and connect projects with potential buyers.
Market Intelligence
Understanding how the battery, facility and market work together before moving deeper into the investment process.