Profitability of different storage technologies in the mid-term

The transition of the energy system to a system based on renewable energies leads to new requirements for the balancing of load and generation at any time. One of the main flexibility options, besides flexibility of thermal generation and demand side management, are storages. Therefore, a strong discussion on cost-efficiency of storages in the future electricity system exists. Consequently this paper aims at developing a methodology to evaluate the profitability of storages under special consideration of the different electricity markets (e. g. spot and balancing). For this, future prices for spot and balancing (both power and energy) are simulated by application of a fundamental model of the future electricity market. Based on these prices the profitability of storages is analyzed by methods of power plant dispatch. Concluding different storage technologies (e. g. pumped hydro, batteries) are compared considering necessary investment costs and achieved contribution margins.