What are business models for energy storage?

Business Models for Energy Storage Rows display market roles, columns reflect types of revenue streams, and boxes specify the business model around an application. Each of the three parameters is useful to systematically differentiate investment opportunities for energy storage in terms of applicable business models.

Is energy storage a profitable business model?

Although academic analysis finds that business models for energy storage are largely unprofitable, annual deployment of storage capacity is globally on the rise (IEA, 2020). One reason may be generous subsidy support and non-financial drivers like a first-mover advantage (Wood Mackenzie, 2019).

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.

Does stacked business models improve profitability?

To assess the effect of stacking on profitability, we reviewed the focus papers again and collected the profitability estimates of matches with stacked business models. Figure 3 shows that the stacking of two business models can already improve profitability considerably.

Why should you invest in energy storage?

Investment in energy storage can enable them to meet the contracted amount of electricity more accurately and avoid penalties charged for deviations. Revenue streams are decisive to distinguish business models when one application applies to the same market role multiple times.

Are matched business models profitable?

The matching shows that all business models can be served by a set of commercially available technologies. Reviewing the results of previous studies on the profitability of individual matches, we find that they are largely found to be unprofitable.