AI-driven optimisation, forecasting and Qualified Scheduling Entity services maximise battery revenues for SmartestEnergy’s PPA battery portfolio in South Texas, under ERCOT’s new RTC+B market.
GridBeyond, a global AI-powered energy technology company, has commenced commercial optimisation for 29.7MW of front-of-the-meter battery storage assets in Texas, providing AI-driven optimisation, forecasting and Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) services for SmartestEnergy’s South Texas battery portfolio.
SmartestEnergy’s ‘Texas Ten’ PPA portfolio has begun with three 9.9MW battery energy storage systems located in Cotulla, Palmview and Edinburg, now actively participating in ERCOT’s real-time and day-ahead energy markets under GridBeyond’s optimization and QSE representation.
The announcement comes as battery storage operators adapt to ERCOT’s Real-Time Co-Optimisation plus Batteries (RTC+B) market design, which went live in December 2025 and has changed how batteries participate in real-time energy and ancillary services markets. With energy and ancillary services now co-optimised in real time, and battery state of charge explicitly considered in market operations, asset owners require more sophisticated forecasting, bidding and dispatch capabilities to compete effectively.
Through its technology platform, GridBeyond combines AI-driven battery optimisation, energy price forecasting, automated bidding and QSE scheduling. This full-stack approach enables each asset to be dispatched into the right market at the right time, maximising revenue opportunities while managing degradation, state of charge and operational constraints.
GridBeyond’s proprietary Bid Optimizer is purpose-built for this environment, leveraging advanced AI to simultaneously optimize across energy and ancillary service products, aligning market price forecasts with battery state-of-charge simulations. This helps battery owners and investors respond to market volatility, capture stacked revenue opportunities and improve long-term asset performance.
Sean McEvoy, US President & Chief Product Officer at GridBeyond, said, “Battery storage is becoming significantly more sophisticated. Success in ERCOT is no longer determined simply by market participation, but by the ability to make thousands of optimisation decisions across multiple value streams while respecting asset constraints. Bringing these three BESS projects into commercial operation in ERCOT demonstrates the strength of our platform and our ability to deliver full-service solutions across multiple US ISO markets. Our team in Austin delivers real-time optimisation, market forecasting, and QSE services to help asset owners capture greater long-term value in one of the world’s most dynamic power markets.”
Gavin Baker, VP Trading and Origination, SmartestEnergy US, said, “As ERCOT’s market continues to evolve, having the right optimisation strategy and market expertise is critical to maximizing the value of battery storage assets. Our continued collaboration with GridBeyond reflects our shared commitment to delivering innovative, data-driven solutions that help assets perform in an increasingly sophisticated market.”
With 5+ GW under management globally and 900+ MW of battery storage, the company continues to expand its North American footprint to meet rising demand for intelligent, technology-led asset management.
