How do I evaluate potential revenue streams from energy storage assets?

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”).

How do business models of energy storage work?

Building upon both strands of work, we propose to characterize business models of energy storage as the combination of an application of storage with the revenue stream earned from the operation and the market role of the investor.

Do investors underestimate the value of energy storage?

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.

What was the growth rate of energy storage industry in 2015?

Driven by the Euramerican and Asia-Pacific market, worldwide energy storage industry experienced fast development in 2015. According to CNESA, global cumulative installed capacity of energy storage system was 946.8 MW (excluding PSS, CAES and heat storage) by the end of 2015 and the growth rate was 12.7% compared with year 2014.

What is the growth rate of industrial energy storage?

The majority of the growth is due to forklifts (8% CAGR). UPS and data centers show moderate growth (4% CAGR) and telecom backup battery demand shows the lowest growth level (2% CAGR) through 2030. Figure 8. Projected global industrial energy storage deployments by application

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.