EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – NextEra, PGE Among Utilities Leading the Charge in Paired Battery Projects

Battery storage is no longer just paving the way for greater integration of renewables onto the grid. The technology is now ushering in larger utility-scale solar and wind projects with diverse configurations. Utility proposals to develop massive storage projects in tandem with renewables are becoming more common as intermittent wind and solar continue to produce a growing share of power generation. Aggressive state and utility decarbonization goals are also driving the need for cost-effective batteries.

Energy Storage, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Power & Utilities, PRODUCTS, REC Feed, Solar, Wind

U.S. House Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Establish Energy Storage Tax Credit

Rep. Michael Doyle, a Democrat representing Pennsylvania, introduced legislation on April 4 that would expand the solar investment tax credit to include energy storage technology for utilities, businesses, and homes. The current tax code provides the credit for battery technologies paired with a solar installations. (H.R.2096) More than 100 House Democrats, led by Congresswoman Haley…

Energy Storage, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Power & Utilities, REC Feed, Solar

Maryland Lawmakers Pass Legislation to Expand Community Solar, Establish Battery Pilot

The Maryland legislature on March 28 approved a measure that would extend the state’s community solar pilot through 2024 and remove the limit on the maximum number of subscribers in the program. The legislation would also include annually increasing capacity levels for each program category, modifying the current requirement that allows restrictions to enable regulators…

Alternative Energy, Energy Storage, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Power & Utilities, REC Feed, Solar, Solar Power

EnerKnol’s Visual Primer – States Make Strides in Setting Pay Outs for Battery Storage, Opening Door to Growth

U.S. states are plowing ahead in setting market compensation rules for battery technology, laying the foundation for future growth of the fast-maturing technology in retail and wholesale markets. While progressive states California, New York and Massachusetts are charging ahead in how to value the resource, others are still grappling with how to regulate a system that fails to fit squarely in any one box and that raises a range of jurisdictional and ownership questions.

Energy Storage, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Research Reports, EnerKnol Visual Primer, Grid Modernization, Power & Utilities, PRODUCTS, REC Feed

PacifiCorp Proposes $22 Million Portfolio of Innovative Programs to Enhance Grid Management

Rocky Mountain Power, a division of PacifiCorp, proposed three innovative utility programs to explore vehicle-to-grid power flow management, study the value of behind-the-meter grid optimized solar-plus-battery installations, and improve outage response by deploying line sensor technology on distribution circuits, according to a March 8 filing with the Utah Public Service Commission. The initiatives form the…

Electric Vehicles, Energy Storage, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Power & Utilities, REC Feed, Smart Grid

FERC Approves Reforms to Enhance Battery Storage Participation in New England Wholesale Power Markets

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Feb. 25 accepted ISO New England Inc.’s market rules to enable advanced storage technologies to be dispatched and priced in the real-time energy market in a manner that more fully recognizes their ability to transition rapidly between charging and discharging. The revisions allow batteries and emerging storage technologies to…

Energy Storage, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Power & Utilities, REC Feed

California Approves Battery Installation to Provide Black Start Service at Gas-Powered Plant

The California Energy Commission on Feb. 20 approved the installation of a battery storage system to the Russell City Energy Center, a 600-megawatt natural-gas fired power plant, to provide black start capability. The project consists of installing 6 to 10 megawatts of lithium-ion batteries, which would be used to start the gas turbines, in order…

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Massachusetts Regulator Unveils Framework for Capacity Rights in Solar Incentive Programs

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities issued an order on Feb. 1 clarifying ownership of capacity and energy rights of facilities under net metering and Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target, or SMART, programs participating in the ISO New England Inc.’s forward capacity market. The order allows owners of storage-paired facilities to retain their energy or capacity…

Alternative Energy, Energy Storage, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Hydropower, Power & Utilities, REC Feed, Solar, Solar Power, Top News, Wholesale Markets, Wholesale Power

Liberty Utilities Wins Approval for Customer-Sited Battery Pilot in New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission on Jan. 17 authorized Liberty Utilities Co. to install up to 500 Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries behind the meter at customers’ premises under a pilot program intended to achieve customer savings through peak load reductions. Liberty said that the initiative marks the first program in the nation to combine…

Energy Storage, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Power & Utilities, REC Feed

Hawaiian Electric Proposes Largest Portfolio of Solar-Plus-Battery Projects at Record Low Prices

The Hawaiian Electric Companies submitted power purchase agreements for seven grid-scale, solar-plus-storage projects to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, according to a Jan. 3 press release. The projects total 262 megawatts of solar and 1,024 megawatt-hours of energy storage, with contract prices ranging from $0.08 to $0.12 per kilowatt-hour. The utilities said that the contracts…

Alternative Energy, Energy Storage, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Power & Utilities, Solar, Solar Power, Top News

Greater Regulatory Clarity Will Facilitate Fair Competition of Storage Resources in Ontario Power Market: Report

The Ontario Independent Electricity System Operator issued a report on Dec. 20 identifying obstacles and mitigating strategies to ensure that energy storage resources can be integrated into its market and can compete in the delivery of services when feasible. The report calls for clarity in the market rules, Ontario Energy Board codes, and legislation and…

Energy Storage, Energy Storage, EnerKnol Impacts, EnerKnol Pulse, Power & Utilities, Wholesale Markets

State Commitments to Procure Energy Storage Exceed 5.3 Gigawatts

States have started to build the foundation for a future of battery storage to capitalize on the multiple benefits the technology provides to the grid, from helping integrate renewables to bolstering the reliability of the network. State legislatures are boosting the number and diversity of measures proposed to stoke storage markets, considering a broad array…

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