The call to remove hurdles that could deter would-be solar investors is a common refrain worldwide and German reinsurance company Munich Re says it has done its bit to accelerate energy storage deployment with a new warranty product.
The Munich-based insurance giant today announced U.S. redox flow battery manufacturer ESS Inc. has become the first customer for its new battery insurance product.
The insurer has introduced a ten-year warranty cover policy for battery manufacturers that will pay repair and replacement costs for stationery batteries above a fixed value, helping to cap financial risk for manufacturers and the projects their products are used in.
Project cover
The historic reinsurance house says the ability to cap the warranty costs associated with renewable energy projects will make them more attractive to investors. A statement announcing the new policy said customers have the option of extending the product to cover specific generation projects so that warranties would be fulfilled even in the event of battery manufacturers filing for bankruptcy during the ten-year period.
And with energy storage solutions being deployed rapidly around the globe as their price falls, Munich Re announced it plans to develop a product for mobility solutions such as electric vehicles in a ‘second phase’ of the policy.
Board member Peter Röder said in the press statement: “The ability to insure battery performance is a key piece of the puzzle in decarbonizing our energy sector. For the first time, battery manufacturers can insure against the risk of their products not delivering as promised. With this new coverage, Munich Re has again demonstrated its pioneering role in the insurance of climate-friendly technology.”
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