ENERGY STORAGE

Clean Energy Banks Offer Financial Alternatives to Federal and State Subsidies

Electric Vehicles, Energy Storage, Hydropower, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

Development of clean energy and energy efficiency solutions are confronted by challenges including federal policy uncertainties jeopardizing grants and tax credits, state budget constraints, and insufficient capital markets. Several states are exploring ways to leverage public resources with innovative banking and financial mechanisms to facilitate large-scale deployment of low-carbon technologies. Overview Many federal energy subsidies…...

DOE Awards $30M to Advance Distributed Generation

Energy Storage, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

DOE has announced $30M to develop electrochemical technologies for low-cost distributed generation. On November 25, 2013, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $30M in funding to advance distributed power generation technologies under the Advanced Research Projects Agency –Energy’s (APRA-E) Reliable Electricity Based on Electrochemical Systems (REBELS).  The REBELS project will support transformational electrochemical…...

California Adopts Landmark Energy Storage Mandate

Energy Storage, Renewables

California has finalized energy storage procurement targets for its investor-owned utilities to procure 1,325 MW of energy storage capacity by 2020. On October 17, 2013, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) finalized a proposal to establish policies and mechanisms for its energy storage procurement framework and design program. The proposed decision is pursuant to 2010…...

NY Governor Initiates $1B Green Bank to Fund Clean Energy Projects

Biofuels, Electric Vehicles, Energy Storage, Nuclear Power, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

Governor Cuomo took the first step in the New York Green Bank capitalization process to facilitate private capital flow for clean energy projects. On September 10, 2013, New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo formally launched the $1 billion Green Bank initiative, the central part of innovative clean energy proposals announced during his 2013 State…...

U.S. Navy Providing $30M for Clean Energy Startups

Biofuels, Energy Storage, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

The Navy has announced $30 million in funding to Hawaii-based “Energy Excelerator” that supports emerging clean energy technologies. On September 9, 2013, the Department of Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR) announced $30 million funding to support Energy Excelerator, a Hawaii-based accelerator program for clean energy start-ups.  The funding triples investment over the three-year operation…...

MIT Researchers Unveil Innovative Battery Prototype

Energy Storage, Renewables, Smart Grid1 Comment

MIT researchers have devised a membrane-free rechargeable battery prototype that could facilitate cheaper, large-scale energy storage and support widespread renewable energy use. On August 16, 2013, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) unveiled a membrane-free rechargeable flow battery prototype capable of overcoming the major barriers of energy storage – cost and performance –…...

White House Report Calls For Increased Electric Grid Resilience

Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Smart Grid1 Comment

A White House and DOE report calls for investments to increase the nation’s electric grid resilience and outlines strategies for grid modernization. On August 12, 2013, the White House Council of Economic Advisors and the Department of Energy (DOE) released a report emphasizing the importance of grid resilience for climate adaptation.  The report, titled “Economic…...

FERC Order Increases Opportunity for Energy Storage

Energy Storage, Renewables1 Comment

FERC Order 784 revises regulations governing sales of frequency regulation services, thereby increasing the opportunities for energy storage projects in the ancillary services market. On July 18, 2013, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued FERC Order 784, which revises its Avista policy regulating ancillary-service sales at market-based rates to public utility transmission providers.  The…...

DOE Examines Climate Change Impact on Energy Sector

Biofuels, Coal Power, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Fossil Fuels, Natural Gas, Nuclear Power, Oil, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power1 Comment

DOE released a report examining the impacts of climate change on the nation’s energy and electricity infrastructure, including an assessment of ongoing efforts and potential opportunities to improve the energy sector’s climate resilience.   On July 11, 2013, the Department of Energy (DOE) released a report examining current and future impacts of climate change on…...

President Obama Unveils Comprehensive Climate Agenda

Biofuels, Coal Power, Emissions, Energy Storage, Fossil Fuels, Natural Gas, Nuclear Power, Oil, Power & Utilities, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

President Obama’s second-term climate agenda includes sweeping measures to cut carbon emissions from power plants, boost renewable energy production, increase fuel economy standards, and advance international initiatives to combat climate change. On June 25, 2013, President Barack Obama outlined a comprehensive Climate Action Plan prioritizing measures to limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to set a…...