BATTERY STORAGE
INTEGRATION GUIDE
Protecting Solar Investments from the Cyprus Curtailment Crisis
2025 Edition
Published by LIGHTHIEF CYPRUS LTD
Official Tier-1 BESS Reseller
The Curtailment Crisis
CRITICAL MARKET ALERT:
Cyprus solar curtailment has surged from 0% (2021) to 45.8% (2025) based on actual operational park data. This represents nearly €1 million in annual lost revenue for a typical 5MW park.
Real Park Example - 5.01MW with Tracking:
| Year | Production (MWh) | Curtailment % | Revenue Impact |
|---|
| 2021 | 10,146 | 0% | €2.03M (full) |
| 2022 | 9,897 | 3.5% | €1.98M (-€50k) |
| 2023 | 8,861 | 13.4% | €1.78M (-€250k) |
| 2024 | 7,436 | 26.7% | €1.49M (-€540k) |
| 2025 | 5,599 | 45.8% | €1.06M (-€970k) |
BESS Solution Overview
How Battery Storage Solves Curtailment:
- Capture: Store energy during curtailment periods instead of losing it
- Shift: Discharge during evening/night when demand is high
- Monetize: Sell at premium night tariff rates (20-30% higher)
- Protect: Future-proof against increasing curtailment
BESS Economics - Real Numbers
Investment:
- Equipment Cost: €140,000 per MWh (Tier-1 systems)
- Optimal Sizing: 0.5-1.0 MWh per MW solar capacity
- Example: 12.5MWh for 5MW park = €1,750,000
Returns (5MW Park Example):
- Energy Recovered: 1,290 MWh/year (50% of curtailed)
- Additional Revenue: €294,000/year
- BESS O&M: €25,000/year
- Net BESS Income: €269,000/year
- BESS Standalone ROI: 15.4%
- Payback Period: 6.5 years
Sizing Methodology
Factors to Consider:
- Curtailment Profile: Historical and projected curtailment %
- Park Capacity: MW size of solar installation
- Cycles per Day: How many charge/discharge cycles
- Tariff Differential: Day vs night pricing spread
Recommended Sizing Options:
| MWh per MW | Use Case | Recovery Rate |
|---|
| 0.5 | Minimal curtailment (<15%) | 30-40% |
| 1.0 | Moderate curtailment (15-30%) | 40-50% |
| 2.0 | High curtailment (30-45%) | 50-60% |
| 2.5 | Very high curtailment (>45%) | 50-70% |
Lighthief Cyprus BESS Services
As Official Tier-1 Reseller, we provide:
- Equipment Procurement: Direct from Tesla, BYD, Huawei, Sungrow
- Design & Engineering: Optimal sizing and system integration
- Installation: Turnkey with certified engineers
- Grid Integration: Permitting and regulatory compliance
- 24/7 O&M: Cyprus-based monitoring and maintenance
- Spare Parts: Local inventory for rapid response
Local Service Advantage:
Unlike international suppliers, Lighthief Cyprus provides same-day emergency response from our Limassol headquarters. Critical for maximizing BESS uptime and ROI.
Case Studies
Case Study: 5MW Park ROI Comparison
| Metric | Solar Only | Solar + BESS |
|---|
| Total Investment | €7,500,000 | €9,250,000 |
| Annual Revenue | €1,410,000 | €1,704,000 |
| Annual Profit | €1,272,000 | €1,541,000 |
| Cash ROI | 13.3% | 13.6% |
| With 70% Financing | N/A (cap limit) | 20.2% |
Implementation Timeline
BESS Retrofit: 14-22 weeks total
- Assessment & Design: 2-4 weeks
- Procurement & Permitting: 8-12 weeks
- Installation & Commissioning: 4-6 weeks