PV assets across the UK and Europe are facing growing pressure from curtailment, grid congestion and periods of negative pricing, which erodes the value captured from daytime generation. This paper proposes that co-locating battery energy storage (BESS) with solar is becoming one of the most practical ways to protect—and potentially improve—project economics by shifting energy into higher-value hours and opening up additional revenue opportunities.
Using a 9 MWp solar PV case study in France, Natural Power and Forsyt Energy compare three battery duration options (2h / 3h / 4h at 5 MW power) to show why battery sizing is fundamentally an investment decision, not just a technical one.
The article provides a clear, decision-oriented framework for developers and asset owners: start with what’s technically feasible at the site and grid connection, then test credible configurations through realistic dispatch and market modelling to identify the sizing that produces the strongest, most defensible investment case.