What's the future for renewable-plus-storage in Europe, compared to standalone BESS projects?

Co-locating renewable energy with storage is increasingly favoured due to increasing challenges in securing grid connections for standalone projects. But beyond the hype, what do the numbers actually say?  

Focusing on Europe, Clean Horizon will investigate examples from Spain, Germany, Sweden and France and answer the one and only question that matters to investors: does renewable-plus-storage make economic sense? Thanks to the use of its state-of-the-art COSMOS simulation tool, Clean Horizon will present examples of optimal sizing for hybrid projects in four key European geographies to shed some light on key variables investors should keep in mind. 

Variable renewable sources typically do not utilise grid capacity fully, and storage systems can nicely fill in the gap. Even though hybrid projects are inherently more complex than standalone, sharing grid connections and optimising land use can represent significative advantages in the future, especially if sized properly.  

In addition, hybrid projects typically reduce grid fees for the storage system since there it reduces electricity charged from the grid into the battery. The integration of storage with solar and wind energy helps mitigate intermittency, making energy systems more resilient and capable of meeting demand. 

In recent years, we have observed a significant shift in the profitability of hybrid projects. The business case for hybrid systems has transformed due to several factors, including the declining costs of BESS and the emergence of negative pricing scenarios in energy markets. Additionally, evolving market dynamics have introduced both opportunities and risks for hybrid projects. In this context, we will examine potential revenue streams across various markets, including ancillary services such as Frequency Containment Reserve (FCR), automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve (aFRR), and manual Frequency Restoration Reserve (mFRR) for capacity reservation and energy activation, as well as trading in day-ahead (DA) and intraday (ID) markets, along with revenues from available capacity mechanisms, that can significantly enhance project viability. By applying the comprehensive revenue modelling tool, COSMOS, we will accurately evaluate the operational performance and profitability of hybrid projects, and we will explore the ways to maximise their benefits, empowering investors to make informed decisions in this rapidly evolving landscape. 

Don't miss this exciting new webinar!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For more information, please contact us at:

info@energy-storage.news