As the energy storage industry scales to terawatt-hours of deployments, new approaches to warranties are essential. Recent comments from several ACCURE customers reflect a common perspective: “Battery warranties are too rigid, limiting the flexibility needed to maximise asset utility.” “I care about energy, not cycles.”
As challenging as warranties are for battery energy storage system (BESS) owners and operators, it is possible for there to be more clarity. Look no further than how the automotive industry handles electric vehicle warranties. They are simple and flexible, typically covering time (usually eight years) and mileage (usually 100,000 miles).
In contrast, BESS warranties have extensive restrictions and fine print, sometimes requiring advanced calculations to track compliance. They also tend to limit how asset owners can monetise their assets, even when operating within the technology’s physical limits.
For instance, most warranty conditions cap daily charge-discharge cycles to one or two, even though significant portions of annual revenue are generated during just a few high-demand days in some markets.
As the industry shifts from contracted revenues to higher shares of merchant operation, such limitations become increasingly costly. This raises two important questions: how can BESS warranties be updated to give suppliers clear design targets while also allowing asset owners the flexibility they need? And how can these warranties be monitored and enforced on a large scale?
Read the full article in Vol. 41 of PV Tech Power, or read the rest of the extract in Energy Storage News
