Profits of solar energy storage cabinet engineering service providers

In many locations, owners of batteries co-located with solar or wind projects derive revenue under multiple contracts and generate multiple layers of revenue or “value stack.” Developers then seek financing based on anticipated cash flows from all or a portion of the components of this value stack.

While energy storage is already being deployed to support grids across major power markets, new McKinsey analysis suggests investors often underestimate the value of energy storage in their business cases.

Owners of batteries, including storage facilities that are co-located with solar or wind projects, derive revenue under multiple contracts and generate multiple layers of revenue or 'value stack.' Developers then seek financing based on anticipated cash flows from all or a portion of the components of this value stack.

Evaluating potential revenue streams from flexible assets, such as energy storage systems, is not simple. Investors need to consider the various value pools available to a storage asset, including wholesale, grid services, and capacity markets, as well as the inherent volatility of the prices of each (see sidebar, “Glossary”).

Ancillary services that stabilize the power grid typically represent 50 to 80 percent of the full storage revenue stack of energy storage assets deployed today. This is observed across multiple mature storage markets but is expected to decrease to less than 40 percent by 2030.

Pairing a storage project with a solar or wind power generation project can be beneficial. It allows projects to charge the storage system rather than deliver power to the grid when market prices for electricity are low (or negative) or when electricity would otherwise be curtailed.