Can a utility-scale PV plus storage system provide reliable capacity?

Declining photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage costs could enable “PV plus storage” systems to provide dispatchable energy and reliable capacity. This study explores the technical and economic performance of utility-scale PV plus storage systems. Co-Located? AC = alternating current, DC = direct current.

How can energy storage be profitable?

Where a profitable application of energy storage requires saving of costs or deferral of investments, direct mechanisms, such as subsidies and rebates, will be effective. For applications dependent on price arbitrage, the existence and access to variable market prices are essential.

Is energy storage a profitable business model?

Although academic analysis finds that business models for energy storage are largely unprofitable, annual deployment of storage capacity is globally on the rise (IEA, 2020). One reason may be generous subsidy support and non-financial drivers like a first-mover advantage (Wood Mackenzie, 2019).

How does independent PV + storage increase value?

Increases value by about 1% relative to independent PV + storage. In other periods (July 1 shown here), storage plant cannot be fully utilized because of the operation of the PV system. Combined output of independent PV + storage plant (left figure) is as high as 70 MW, which is possible because of the separate inverters.

How would a storage facility exploit differences in power prices?

In application (8), the owner of a storage facility would seize the opportunity to exploit differences in power prices by selling electricity when prices are high and buying energy when prices are low.

How many mw can a PV & storage plant produce?

Combined output of independent PV + storage plant (left figure) is as high as 70 MW, which is possible because of the separate inverters. DC-coupled system (right figure)—with shared 50-MW inverter—must shift storage output to lower-price periods to accommodate PV output.