Contract review for energy storage

Should a PPA be used in energy storage contracts?

While several provisions of these PPAs are appropriate for energy storage contracts, there are issues unique to energy storage that warrant special consideration. This article discusses 10 issues that deserve careful analysis when drafting offtake contracts for energy storage facilities.

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.

Does a power contract cover energy storage?

In the context of a solar project, the power contract covers both the solar and energy storage systems, as they are typically treated as a single system. There is a natural synergy between the two.

Will energy storage save the energy industry?

It’s generation . . . it’s transmission . . . it’s energy storage! The renewable energy industry continues to view energy storage as the superhero that will save it from its greatest problem—intermittent energy production and the resulting grid reliability issues that such intermittent generation engenders.

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.

Does a power contract cover a solar system?

The power contract covers both the solar system and the energy storage system. There is a natural synergy between them. The storage system, typically comprised of batteries, can charge from the solar system and then provide back-up electricity at times of no or low sunlight.