The Colorado Public Utilities Commission adopted rules to incorporate energy storage procurement into utilities’ long-term planning processes, taking an important step towards harnessing the emerging technology, according to a Dec. 12 decision. The move follows legislation enacted in June 2018 directing the commission to establish a process by February 2019 for electric utilities to evaluate and invest in energy storage.

• The commission approved Xcel Energy Inc.’s Colorado Energy Plan in September, a blueprint outlining the utility’s plan to add 1,100 megawatts of wind power, 700 megawatts of solar power, and 225 megawatts of battery storage paired with solar for operational flexibility and reliability, and cut carbon emissions by 60 percent by 2026.
• The Energy Storage Association commended the move calling it a “critical ingredient” to ensure ratepayer savings and a model encourages other jurisdictions to evaluate.
• The state also passed a law in March 2018 directing regulators to set up rules for installing residential battery systems and connecting them to the grid, in a bid to knock down barriers to the use of batteries by consumers, including through the elimination of unnecessary restrictions or fees.