Is energy storage high-paying

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.

Why is energy storage important?

Continued expansion of intermittent renewable energy, ESG-focused investments, the growing versatility of storage technologies to provide grid and customer services, and declining costs for key components like lithium-ion batteries all played a significant role in driving the investment and development of energy storage.

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”).

Should energy storage be undervalued?

The revenue potential of energy storage is often undervalued. Investors could adjust their evaluation approach to get a true estimate—improving profitability and supporting sustainability goals.

Why is energy storage important in a data center?

For instance, energy storage can alleviate some of the immense backup power needs for behind the meter data center configurations, thereby limiting the need for a data center operator to rely on the grid and increasing the operator’s ability to be a “flexible” load.

How has the IRA impacted the energy storage industry?

The energy storage industry has continued to progress over the course of 2024 and into 2025, buoyed in significant part by the federal income tax benefits in the form of tax credits enacted under the IRA. Energy storage was one of the major beneficiaries of the IRA’s new rules on both the deployment and manufacturing sides.