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…
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…
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…
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…
California has enacted legislation that reinforces the state’s clean energy leadership with a goal of procuring 100 percent of the state’s electricity from renewable and zero-carbon resources by 2045. California’s move is historic in that it represents the world’s fifth-largest economy having established a renown in the international climate arena. The Golden State has accelerated the growth of its solar and wind industries but success likely depends on whether storage systems can supplant natural gas that provides about a third of the state’s electricity. Earlier this year, California became the first U.S. state to mandate solar rooftop panels on new homes. To achieve its 2030 goal of five million zero emission vehicles, California recently enacted a law to assess charging infrastructure buildout.
The convergence of technologies, markets, rate design changes, and business models is unleashing new opportunities in the emerging electricity storage sector. Energy storage can provide multiple services at the same time or with the same resource, providing operational flexibility as the system becomes decentralized and decarbonized. While storage provides undeniable benefits in grid-connected solutions and flexibility, market mechanisms and rate designs will play a critical role in scaling up deployment. State policies that pair distributed generation with storage provide further avenues for growth.
Growing large-scale deployments of energy storage systems, driven by declining costs and evolving technology, has opened an opportunity for these systems to compete with traditional natural gas peaker plants. Standalone storage makes for a resource-agnostic solution that would enable utilities to charge up as required using the available energy mix. As improvements in technology allow battery systems to provide power for longer periods, utilities will benefit as they must manage a growing share of renewables while meeting peak demand.
Arizona's Energy Modernization Plan would set a goal 3,000 MW of energy storage by 2030, the most ambitious in the nation. The plan seeks to address peak demand challenges and provide system backup and stability through large-scale storage. Declining costs combined with a growing recognition of the multiple benefits of storage have led more states to consider storage in their energy planning and regulation. Moving forward, the future of storage will depend on creating rates and markets that capture the full value of storage and improving grid connection practices.
Arizona's Energy Modernization Plan would set a goal 3,000 MW of energy storage by 2030, the most ambitious in the nation. The plan seeks to address peak demand challenges and provide system backup and stability through large-scale storage. Declining costs combined with a growing recognition of the multiple benefits of storage have led more states to consider storage in their energy planning and regulation. Moving forward, the future of storage will depend on creating rates and markets that capture the full value of storage and improving grid connection practices.
The New York Independent System Operator has unveiled a proposal for full participation of energy storage in the state's wholesale electricity markets by 2023. The grid operator envisions storage as a vital tool for managing the growing penetration of intermittent and distributed energy resources (DERs). Recently, several other states have turned to storage as a way of solving the intermittency of DERs, delivering more dynamic energy services, and addressing peak demand challenges.
The New York Independent System Operator has unveiled a proposal for full participation of energy storage in the state's wholesale electricity markets by 2023. The grid operator envisions storage as a vital tool for managing the growing penetration of intermittent and distributed energy resources (DERs). Recently, several other states have turned to storage as a way of solving the intermittency of DERs, delivering more dynamic energy services, and addressing peak demand challenges.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has initiated a proceeding to investigate the eligibility of energy storage systems to net meter. Stakeholder comments in prior proceedings prompted the investigation, which comes at a time of boom for the storage industry which reflects in the policy realm. Multiple states have passed policies supporting storage, such as mandates, tax incentives, streamlined permitting processes, and research and development programs. While the spread of renewables will be one major driver for the growth of storage, grid resiliency efforts, especially in the wake of weather disasters, will provide another avenue for growth in the industry.
