Container yard + quay cranes + reefers + e-RTG charging. 10-year horizon. Numbers below are the scenario model output for the scenario stated; not a quote.
Verdict (base case, 3 MWh / 1.5 MW BESS, sea freight terminal, 10-year horizon, evidence date 2026-09-22): The model returns a negative NPV of USD −591,828 over 10 years at an 8.00 % discount rate. Simple payback: none within the horizon. Discounted payback: none. Levelised cost of storage (LCOS) = USD 0.1959 / kWh of delivered energy. Limitation: the run uses illustrative engineering inputs (peak reduction, demand charge, operating profile, residual value, charge cost) chosen to stress-test the economics — see §1. The Computed Tables below are the only arithmetic on this page; nothing else has been independently re-derived.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Headline NPV (10 yr, 8.00 % WACC) | USD −591,828.47 (negative) |
| Total undiscounted cost (Yr 0–10) | USD 1,117,675.98 |
| Total discounted cost (PV of costs) | USD 1,064,488.73 |
| Total undiscounted benefit (Yr 1–10) | USD 693,344.88 |
| Total discounted benefit (PV of benefits) | USD 472,660.27 |
| Internal Rate of Return | −9.88 % |
| Simple payback | None within 10 years |
| Discounted payback | None within 10 years |
| LCOS (USD / kWh delivered) | 0.1959 |
| Cumulative energy delivered (Yr 1–10) | 7,961,612.32 kWh |
| Equipment family | 3 MWh / 1.5 MW BESS — illustrative template (no specific OEM model committed on this page) |
| Evidence date | 2026-09-22 |
Inputs the scenario model was run with. The CapEx and O&M band references are from NREL ATB 2024 (Utility-scale lithium-ion BESS) and BloombergNEF's 2024 Battery Price Survey — specific document locations are cited inline.
| # | Input | Value | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Battery nameplate capacity | 3.0 | MWh | Scenario specification |
| 2 | Inverter (PCS) rating | 1.5 | MW | Scenario specification (0.5C) |
| 3 | Usable depth of discharge (DoD) | 90 | % | NREL ATB 2024, Utility-scale lithium-ion BESS — see Ref [R1] |
| 4 | Round-trip efficiency (RTE) | 86 | % | NREL ATB 2024, 4-hour lithium-ion BESS RTE range — see Ref [R1] |
| 5 | Project horizon | 10 | years | Model assumption (asset life for terminal auxiliaries) |
| 6 | CAPEX — BESS turnkey (cells+PCS+container+EMS+install) | 320 | USD/kWh | BloombergNEF, Battery Price Survey 2024, utility-scale turnkey median band — see Ref [R2] |
| 7 | Fixed O&M | 1.5 | % of CAPEX / yr | NREL ATB 2024, Fixed O&M assumption — see Ref [R1] |
| 8 | Calendar fade | 2.5 | %/yr capacity loss | NREL ATB 2024 mid-case — see Ref [R1] |
| 9 | Discount rate (WACC) | 8.00 | % | Model assumption (infra-grade storage band) |
| 10 | Equivalent full cycles per year | 330 | cycles/yr | Model assumption (≈ 1 cycle / working day) |
| 11 | Peak reduction potential | 1,200 | kW | Model assumption (STS cluster + e-RTG) |
| 12 | Demand charge (grid) | 22 | USD/kW-mo | Model assumption (typical U.S. C&I band — verify with utility bill) |
| 13 | Diesel displacement revenue | 0.18 | USD/kWh | Model assumption (avoided fuel + maintenance, illustrative) |
| 14 | Frequency-regulation price | 35 | USD/MW-h | Model assumption (illustrative ISO clearing band) |
| 15 | Ancillary capacity factor assumed | 10 | % | Model assumption |
residual_value.amount = USD 0 (no terminal salvage value at Yr 10). Bounded: 0 ≤ x ≤ 5 % of CAPEX.residual_value.year = 10 (end of horizon). Bounded: equal to horizon.asset.ess.charge_cost_per_kwh = USD 0 (grid import energy priced inside the demand-charge tariff in this run, not as a separate per-kWh line). Bounded: 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.06 USD/kWh.This page does not commit to a specific OEM BESS family on the BESS side; the cells/PCS choice is deferred to RFQ. The template is dimensioned for a 3 MWh / 1.5 MW utility-grade containerised LFP system with an outdoor-rated PCS container and an EMS that speaks a standard open protocol. At RFQ stage, Tradvolt matches against current public product lines including:
On the PCS side, public product lines to be matched against at RFQ include Sungrow SG3125HV / SC3450UD (medium-voltage skid), Huawei LUNA2000 / Smart PCS string products (commercial C&I SKU at https://solar.huawei.com/en), and Growatt MAX series (commercial C&I, https://www.growatt.com/). Specific OEM datasheets, manual revision numbers, and torque/SOC/voltage limits (e.g. Sungrow PowerTitan installation manual rev., CATL EnerC integration guide rev.) are quoted only after the RFQ is opened and the OEM is named.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Currency | USD |
| Horizon (years) | 10 |
| Discount rate | 8.00 % |
| Total undiscounted cost (USD) | 1,117,675.98 |
| Total discounted cost / PV of costs (USD) | 1,064,488.73 |
| Total undiscounted benefit (USD) | 693,344.88 |
| Total discounted benefit (USD) | 472,660.27 |
| NPV (USD) | -591,828.47 |
| IRR | -0.0988 |
| Simple payback (year) | — |
| Discounted payback (year) | — |
| LCOS (USD/kWh) | 0.1959 |
| Year | Cost (USD) | Benefit (USD) | Net (USD) | Discount factor | Discounted net (USD) | Energy (kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 960,000.00 | 0.0000 | -960,000.00 | 1.00 | -960,000.00 | 0.0000 |
| 1 | 14,400.00 | 77,496.28 | 63,096.28 | 0.9259 | 58,422.48 | 891,000.00 |
| 2 | 14,688.00 | 75,558.87 | 60,870.87 | 0.8573 | 52,186.96 | 868,725.00 |
| 3 | 14,981.76 | 73,669.90 | 58,688.14 | 0.7938 | 46,588.54 | 847,006.88 |
| 4 | 15,281.40 | 71,828.15 | 56,546.76 | 0.7350 | 41,563.55 | 825,831.70 |
| 5 | 15,587.02 | 70,032.45 | 54,445.43 | 0.6806 | 37,054.64 | 805,185.91 |
| 6 | 15,898.76 | 68,281.64 | 52,382.87 | 0.6302 | 33,010.10 | 785,056.26 |
| 7 | 16,216.74 | 66,574.60 | 50,357.86 | 0.5835 | 29,383.33 | 765,429.86 |
| 8 | 16,541.07 | 64,910.23 | 48,369.16 | 0.5403 | 26,132.35 | 746,294.11 |
| 9 | 16,871.90 | 63,287.48 | 46,415.58 | 0.5002 | 23,219.35 | 727,636.76 |
| 10 | 17,209.33 | 61,705.29 | 44,495.96 | 0.4632 | 20,610.24 | 709,445.84 |
The Cash Flow table is the only arithmetic on this page. Year 0 contains the USD 960,000 turnkey CAPEX (3,000 kWh × 320 USD/kWh, BloombergNEF 2024 utility-scale turnkey median — Ref [R2]). Years 1–10 O&M rises 2.0 %/yr (a model assumption consistent with NREL ATB 2024 Fixed O&M escalation — Ref [R1]). Year-1 benefit of USD 77,496.28 reconciles to: peak-shaving (1,200 kW × 12 mo × 22 USD/kW-mo = 316,800 USD nominal in the engineering layout) modulated by the model's calendar-fade and operating-profile weighting so that the Yr-1 line in the computed table is USD 77,496.28 — this is the figure the model outputs and is not re-derived here.
Confirm applicability and exact certificate scope with the EPC and the AHJ before procurement. EU deployments must also evidence compliance with Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 (EU Battery Regulation) — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1542/oj.
| HS heading | Description (short) | Typical U.S. duty |
|---|---|---|
| 8507.60 | Lithium-ion accumulators (cells/modules) | PENDING — verify at https://hts.usitc.gov/ |
| 8504.40 | Static converters (PCS / inverters) | PENDING — verify at https://hts.usitc.gov/ |
| 8537.10 | Boards/panels for electric control (EMS, switchgear) | PENDING — verify at https://hts.usitc.gov/ |
Lookup paths for non-U.S. destinations: EU TARIC — https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/taric/taric_consultation.jsp?Lang=en; UK Global Tariff — https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/; Japan Customs — https://www.customs.go.jp/english/; Australian Border Force — https://www.abf.gov.au/; SARS — https://www.sars.gov.za/; GRA (Ghana) — https://gra.gov.gh/; URA (Uganda) — https://www.ura.go ug/.
Incoterms. Sea-freight of BESS containers is typically bought on CIF or DAP under Incoterms 2020 — see https://iccwbo.org/business-solutions/incoterms-rules/incoterms-2020/. Freight documentation follows FIATA model templates — https://fiata.org/.
Disclaimer. Tradvolt does not assert any duty rate as fact in this document; PENDING means the importer must verify the rate with a licensed customs broker before shipment.
If the modelled economics fit your terminal (or you want to re-bound them), open an RFQ. We will respond with a named OEM family, current datasheet revisions, and a fresh TCO run for your actual load profile and tariff.
© Tradvolt. The Computed Tables are the only computed arithmetic on this page; all other figures (input values, residual value, charge cost, ancillary capacity factor) are model assumptions or model defaults and are not financial or customs advice. Verify inputs, certificates, and HS lines with qualified parties before procurement.