As the energy storage sector evolves rapidly, a series of webinars have been produced to address various topics pivotal to industry stakeholders, highlighting trends, challenges, and strategic insights that could influence future business practices in the burgeoning market. Energy-Storage.News has reported on the themes and discussions that have characterised its recent webinar offerings.
One notable webinar titled "Do higher risks mean higher returns for battery storage investors?", held on 24 January 2024, delved into increasing investor confidence in the energy storage market. Experts from GridBeyond discussed critical aspects of securing financing for Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) assets, explored trends in pricing mechanisms, and examined commercial strategies for optimising battery operations. The session underscored the balance between the secure tolling arrangements that promise predictable income and the merchant model that ties revenues to market fluctuations, albeit at a higher risk.
Following this, on 31 January 2024, CEA led a webinar entitled "Lessons in BESS manufacturing quality, learned from 30GWh+ of factory inspections." With findings from extensive factory audits, the experts identified prevalent quality issues and their root causes, encompassing commissioning delays, degradation, and potential safety hazards, such as thermal events and fires.
Another significant discussion occurred on 4 April 2024 with "How to generate profit from battery storage beyond ancillary services." From a European perspective, the session revealed the evolving applications for BESS technology, challenging the notion that earnings would solely come from ancillary services. The conversation featured insights from Clean Horizon and YUSO on optimising revenue through business cases and market strategy adaptations.
On 15 May 2024, a webinar titled "Insurance innovations that unlock the potential of battery storage systems" brought together specialists from ACCURE Battery Intelligence to examine the complexities of insuring modern energy storage systems. They aimed to enlighten attendees on how to navigate high insurance premiums by employing data-driven methodologies to optimise policies tailored to the unique nature of their BESS projects.
As procurement processes for BESS technology adapt, experts from Clean Energy Associates covered these dynamics on 3 September 2024 in a session entitled "The energy storage supply landscape: a guide to BESS procurement." This discussion addressed the fluctuating pricing models, competitive landscapes, and supply chain intricacies that define today’s procurement strategies.
The financial considerations surrounding battery storage operations were further examined on 6 November 2024 in the webinar "Battery storage trading strategies for ERCOT and CAISO market success." As renewable energy continues to reshape power grid dynamics in the United States, experts from GridBeyond assessed key trends affecting the ERCOT and CAISO markets, stressing the need for adaptive trading strategies amid external pressures like weather patterns influencing market prices.
Safety concerns in battery storage systems were also a key topic during the 14 November 2024 session titled "Evolving large-scale fire testing requirements for battery energy storage systems." This webinar, featuring representatives from the Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) CSA Group, aimed to educate key stakeholders on the increasing safety measures resulting from incidents involving electrochemical batteries, introducing new testing regulations.
Lastly, the evolving landscape of battery management was discussed on 26 November 2024 in the webinar "Balancing safety and profitability in European BESS asset management." Experts shared insights into the operational hurdles faced by BESS owners as revenue streams began to diminish amidst market price volatility, advocating for a comprehensive approach to asset management that prioritises overall value rather than just profitability.
These discussions reflect the current trends and future considerations within the energy storage sector, underscoring the significance of strategic insights and adaptive management approaches as the market navigates its unique challenges and opportunities. The breadth of topics covered in these webinars attests to the industry's dynamic nature and highlights the critical role of continuous learning and adaptation for stakeholders involved in energy storage systems.
Source: Noah Wire Services