ZRCs Explained: Why Accredited Capacity Matters for Hybrid Energy Projects
Zonal Resource Credits (ZRCs) give energy buyers a clear way to measure and capture the reliability value of generation assets. In the MISO market, a ZRC represents the amount of dependable capacity a resource can provide during peak demand. This makes ZRCs a reliable benchmark for planning and compliance because they reflect consistent performance instead of fluctuating energy output.
ZRCs create a common standard for comparing different energy resources. MISO assigns them based on how much capacity a project can deliver during each season. In practice, this means technologies that perform during critical hours, such as solar pared with battery storage, earn more ZRCs than standalone variable resources. The approach ensures that reliability is rewarded and gives buyers a fair, data-based method to evaluate assets.
ZRCs also add financial value by creating a stable revenue stream separate from energy sales. Projects with strong capacity accreditation can earn income through MISO’s Planning Resource Auction or capacity contracts. This revenue is more predictable than energy prices, helping to balance risk and improve project returns. Working with a reliable developer ensures that projects are properly designed, permitted, and integrated, which directly affects a project’s ability to achieve its expected ZRCs and associated financial benefits.
ZRCs support both renewable growth and grid reliability. As MISO moves to seasonal accreditation, ZRCs clarify which resources contribute most to reliability throughout the year. The ZRC system encourages investment in flexible, dependable technologies and provides energy users with confidence that clean energy can also meet capacity needs. Partnering with a developer that has a proven track record in delivering hybrid solar and storage systems is critical to ensuring these ZRCs are both realized and maintained over time.
References
MISO. Planning Resource Auction Market Guide. Midcontinent Independent System Operator. https://www.misoenergy.org/markets-and-operations/market-reports
MISO. Seasonal Capacity Accreditation Guidelines. Midcontinent Independent System Operator. https://www.misoenergy.org/planning/generation-interconnection/
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Solar + Storage: Hybrid System Best Practices for Resource Adequacy and Capacity Valuation. Solar Energy Technologies Office. https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-energy-technologies-office
Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Hybrid Solar and Energy Storage Handbook: Performance and Capacity Considerations. https://www.seia.org/initiatives/solar-energy-storage