Onsite Photovoltaic and Energy Storage Deployment in Grid-Interactive Data Centers: Maximizing Renewable Utilization and Profitability Under Lifecycle Progressive Loading

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Impact Factor:10.1

DOI number:10.1016/j.energy.2026.142024

Journal:Energy

Key Words:Data center; Renewable energy utilization; Demand response; Electrical energy storage; Progressive loading

Abstract:In the era of rapidly growing AI demand, the deployment of onsite photovoltaic (PV) and electrical energy storage (EES) represents a significant opportunity for data center decarbonization. This study investigated the dual benefits of renewable energy utilization and lifecycle profitability in grid-interactive data centers with onsite PV and EES deployment. Specifically, the optimal configurations of onsite PV and EES capacity are determined under lifecycle progressive loading and two representative electricity markets, using an hourly-resolution EES dispatch optimization algorithm for maximizing renewable utilization and profitability. We found that grid-interactive data centers can achieve significantly high renewable energy utilization, while still delivering strong economic returns over their lifetime, despite the high upfront capital investment required for onsite PV and EES deployment. Specifically, a 100 kW data center with 120 kW PV and 100 kWh EES could achieve a renewable utilization of 50-51% in both markets, yielding lifecycle net profits of $0.26 million in Shenzhen market and $0.04 million in CAISO market. Achieving over 90% renewable utilization while maximizing lifecycle net profit requires substantial capacity expansion: a 2.2-fold increase in EES and an 8-fold increase in PV in Shenzhen, and a 1.4-fold increase in EES and a 10-fold increase in PV in CAISO. Under these conditions, lifecycle profit remains $0.04 million for Shenzhen, but becomes negative for CAISO.

Co-author:Hong Tang, Zilong Zhao

First Author:Yingbo Zhang

Indexed by:Journal paper

Correspondence Author:Xin Hu, ZIXUAN KANG

Volume:361

Issue:142024

Translation or Not:no

Date of Publication:2026-07-23

Included Journals:SCI