What are the challenges of procurement for utility-side storage & solar-plus projects?

The challenges of procurement for utility-side storage and solar-plus projects center largely on early-stage decisions: defining the top-priority use case, but also exploring ways to get more value out of the project and to prepare for market changes over its life.

How can battery storage improve solar energy production?

Note rising interest in value streams that are locally realized, e.g., time-shifting to balance rising distributed energy resources (DERs) locally. Battery storage can prevent solar over-production, while facilitating local high-renewables goals. It also may sometimes defer the need for a distribution upgrade (non-wires alternative).

What is a PPA for new energy storage resources?

Some PPAs for new energy storage resources have been structured as capacity-only contracts in which the developer is responsible for the sale of energy and all costs associated therewith—including the costs of the required energy procured from the utility.

Are solar manufacturers circumventing antidumping and countervailing duty orders?

The solar market was further constrained by an ongoing petition before the US Department of Commerce alleging that certain solar manufacturers in Southeast Asia were circumventing antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) orders on solar cells and modules from China.

How do energy storage contracts work?

For standalone energy storage contracts, these are typically structured with a fixed monthly capacity payment plus some variable cost per megawatt hour (MWh) of throughput. For a combined renewables-plus-storage project, it may be structured with an energy-only price in lieu of a fixed monthly capacity payment.

Can energy storage resources be financed on a nonrecourse basis?

Key Finance-ability Provisions: Energy storage resources may also be financed on a nonrecourse basis and, like any other project financed in such manner, will need to address issues upon which nonrecourse lenders will focus, including assignment, events of default, performance requirements, key dates, and collateral.