Motivations and options for deploying hybrid generator-plus-battery projects within the bulk power system

Abstract Growth in U.S. utility-scale hybrid battery projects suggests potential advantages currently outweigh disadvantages. Today’s 4.6 GW of hybrid capacity is accompanied by 14.7 GW in the immediate development pipeline, and 69 GW in select interconnection queues. Analysis using wholesale market prices finds that additional revenues from adding a 4-hour battery to solar can exceed additional costs. However, realizing hybrid projects’ full value depends on nascent strategies for integrating them in current/future wholesale market design paradigms.