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Are energy storage projects a project finance transaction?
In many ways, energy storage projects are no different than a typical project finance transaction. Project finance is an exercise in risk allocation. Financings will not close until all risks have been catalogued and covered. However, there are some unique features to energy storage with which investors and lenders will have to become familiar.
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.
Under an energy storage tolling agreement, the developer of the energy storage system is responsible for obtaining site control, permits, interconnection rights, equipment, and construction contracts, as well as achieving agreed-upon milestones such as a target commercial operation date and a guaranteed commercial operation date.
What is an example of a round-trip energy storage tolling agreement?
For example, “round-trip efficiency” is analogous to “heat rate”, and “availability” generally pertains to the same function under both types of agreement. In an energy storage tolling agreement, there are a number of potential payments and measures of performance. Some of these variables include:
Do energy storage tolling agreements restrict a developer's use of a battery?
As the energy stored in the battery belongs to the buyer, energy storage tolling agreements will often prohibit or restrict the developer's use of the storage system for station service. The inclusion of this condition requires that the developer enters into a retail service contract for the system's non-storage load.
Investors and lenders are eager to enter into the energy storage market. In many ways, energy storage projects are no different than a typical project finance transaction. Project finance is an exercise in risk allocation. Financings will not close until all risks have been catalogued and covered.