Is energy storage suitable for entrepreneurship

Is energy storage a good idea for small businesses?

On a smaller scale, energy storage is unlocking new economic opportunities for small businesses. By integrating renewable power with agriculture, individuals can store and supply excess energy, enhancing national grid resilience and diversity while generating profit. China has been a global leader in renewable energy for a decade.

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).

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.

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 storage capacity improve investment conditions?

Recent deployments of storage capacity confirm the trend for improved investment conditions (U.S. Department of Energy, 2020). For instance, the Imperial Irrigation District in El Centro, California, installed 30 MW of battery storage for Frequency containment, Schedule flexibility, and Black start energy in 2017.

Should energy storage be a 'bolder' approach?

Bolder approaches could include the design of special electricity tariffs for investors in a consumer role that unlock the ability of energy storage to mitigate unexpected demand peaks (Peak Shaving) and balance conventional demand patterns (Consumption Arbitrage) (Fridgen et al., 2018).