Lithium battery energy storage investment and financing

Is battery storage a good investment?

Battery storage has less of a track record than other renewable energy assets such as solar and wind power. The lack of comfort on the part of lenders has meant that the project financing packages available have been generally unappealing, with low gearing and onerous covenants.

Why do energy storage projects need project financing?

The rapid growth in the energy storage market is similarly driving demand for project financing. The general principles of project finance that apply to the financing of solar and wind projects also apply to energy storage projects.

Are long-duration energy storage technologies cheaper than lithium-ion batteries?

BloombergNEF (BNEF)’s inaugural Long-Duration Energy Storage Cost Survey shows that while most long-duration energy storage technologies are still early-stage and costly compared to lithium-ion batteries, some have already or are set to achieve lower costs for longer durations.

Can you finance a solar energy storage project?

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. However, there are certain additional considerations in structuring a project finance transaction for an energy storage project.

What is a battery energy storage system?

Battery energy storage system. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) can help address the challenge of intermittent renewable energy. Large scale deployment of this technology is hampered by perceived financial risks and lack of secured financial models.

Will LDEs costs fall as fast as lithium-ion batteries?

Still, LDES costs are unlikely to fall as fast as those of lithium-ion batteries this decade, as lithium-ion batteries are extensively used in both the transport and power sectors, and this demand will drive down the cost of the technology. Figure 1: Fully installed energy storage system average capex and ranges by technology, 2018-2024*