Energy storage project technical agreement

What is an EPC agreement for a battery energy storage system?

The negotiation of an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreement for a battery energy storage systems (BESS) project typically surfaces many of the same contractual risk allocation issues that one encounters in the negotiation of an EPC agreement for a solar or wind project.

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.

What is energy storage technology collaboration programme (es TCP)?

The Energy Storage Technology Collaboration Programme (ES TCP) facilitates integral research, development, implementation and integration of energy storage technologies such as: Electrical Energy Storage, Thermal Energy Storage, Distributed Energy Storage (DES) & Borehole Thermal Energy Storage (BTES).

Does project finance apply to energy storage projects?

The general principles of project finance that apply to the financing of solar and wind projects also apply to energy storage projects. Since the majority of solar projects currently under construction include a storage system, lenders in the project finance markets are willing to finance the construction and cashflows of an energy storage project.

What are the safety requirements for energy storage technologies?

Safety: Minimum safety and operating requirements are common considerations for energy projects. Energy storage resources present additional safety concerns given their unique technological profiles. For battery storage technologies in particular, safety requirements should adequately address fire risks.

Do project finance lenders consider technology risks in energy storage projects?

Project finance lenders view all of these newer technologies as having increased risk due to a lack of historical data. As a result, a primary focus for lenders in their due diligence of an energy storage project will be on technology risks.