Does a grid-level battery energy storage system perform energy arbitrage?

The present work proposes a long-term techno-economic profitability analysis considering the net profit stream of a grid-level battery energy storage system (BESS) performing energy arbitrage as a grid service.

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.

How profitable is Bess for Energy Arbitrage grid applications?

In fact, as reported by the CAISO special report on battery storage , the largest positive revenue comes from day-ahead market energy schedules. For this reason, it is crucial to properly analyze the profitability of using BESS for energy arbitrage grid applications.

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.

Are energy arbitrage profits overestimated?

However, it is worth noting that previous research on energy arbitrage profits from the PJM market [26, 27] suggests that the perfect foresight assumption may lead to overestimation of arbitrage revenue, but by a modest percentage (10–15 %) when compared to simpler strategies that rely on back casting of recent historical prices.