bSTORE

The bSTORE modeling suite is a storage simulation and decision-support platform used to assess the value of storage projects. bSTORE provides insights into a different aspect of storage value that can be utilized separately or in conjunction with one another. The tool provides a number of advantages that make it uniquely suited for assessing the multiple value streams of storage.

Optimal Bidding and Dispatch Module:

• Optimal bidding and scheduling strategies under real-world market conditions
• Maximize wholesale market value of storage assets through co-optimization of day-ahead energy, ancillary services, and real-time energy markets under uncertainty
• Co-optimized wholesale market value, distribution system value, and customer retail rate savings
• Optimized bidding and scheduling of “renewable generation+storage” assets

Market Impact Module:

• Region-wide, zonal, and nodal impacts of large-scale storage deployment
• Local market impacts of alternative deployment strategies of large existing storage resources, including pumped hydro
• Impact of storage deployment on market-based generation retirement and new generation investment decisions
• Total market potential for storage, accounting for “feedback effects” associated with impacts of storage adoption on markets and system marginal costs

Capacity Expansion Module:

• Resource adequacy and flexibility value of storage
• Value of storage in organized capacity and clean-energy markets
• Integrated resource planning (capacity expansion with storage as a resource option)
• Simulation of long-term system investment and retirement decisions with storage as an economically-viable resource

Transmission & Distribution Module:

• Avoided or deferred transmission investment costs
• Avoided or deferred distribution investment costs
• Value of targeting underperforming distribution feeders

Customer Retail Cost Module:

• Customer rate impacts of utility-owned or utility-contracted distribution and transmission level storage
• Customer retail bill savings of behind-the-meter (BTM) storage
• Impact of demand and energy rate design on storage economics
• Identification of customer segments most likely to benefit from BTM storage adoption
• Storage market potential based on customer investment payback
• Utility rates and net earnings impacts if bill reductions of BTM storage exceed utility avoided costs

Customer Reliability Benefits Module:

• Value of customer outage reduction through distributed storage
• Customer-class-specific benefits
• Feeders-specific distribution system benefits (front-of-meter or BTM storage combined with smart distribution network management)