As more wind and solar plants connect to the grid, the challenge is shifting from producing clean electricity to delivering it at the right time. Solar plants produce most at midday, while demand peaks in the evening. Wind output changes with the weather. Without flexibility, plants are increasingly curtailed and prices at peak production hours fall.
Battery storage solves much of this. By storing electricity when it is plentiful and releasing it when it is needed, batteries reduce curtailment, support grid stability and allow plant owners to sell more of their power at better prices. Storage also makes firmer supply profiles possible, which can make power purchase agreements more attractive to buyers.
For project developers, this changes how projects are planned. At Ventus, we now assess the potential for storage from the very first stage of every wind and solar project. Our Bulgarian wind sites have been hybridised with battery storage, and every project in our current solar pipeline in Bulgaria and Spain combines PV with BESS.
We believe hybrid plants that combine generation and storage will become the standard for new renewable projects in Europe.
