New York’s goal to add 1,500 megawatts of energy storage capacity by 2025 could create about 30,000 research, development and manufacturing jobs, while also cutting about 2 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, according to a Sept. 12 report commissioned by state regulators. Expanded deployment of energy storage figures prominently in the state’s efforts to…
The New York Public Service Commission announced Sept. 12 that it cleared the way for smaller energy storage batteries, tidal energy projects, biomass generators and food-waste digestion systems to receive compensation, removing what the agency said are arbitrary and unnecessary restrictions to the nascent technologies. The projects will receive bill credits that are roughly the…
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission approved Public Service Company of Colorado, a subsidiary of Xcel Energy Inc., to retire two-coal fired units in the Comanche Station, a decade ahead of schedule, as part of the company’s 2016 electric resource plan, according to the agency’s Sept. 10 decision. The commission found that the retirement of the…
New York’s six main utilities say that the state should prioritize bigger battery projects over customer-sited ones to get the most from $350 million in investments geared toward reaching a goal to deploy 1,500 megawatts of the systems by 2025. The utilities said that distribution system and bulk system projects will allow for the development…
The Texas Public Utility Commission seeks feedback on over a dozen questions as it looks to formulate rules on the use of battery storage and other “non-traditional technologies” in electric delivery service. The probe arises from the fact that batteries serve many functions, from absorbing as well as dispatching electricity to respond to swings in…
The Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 24 approved a settlement cutting National Grid plc’s one‐year base rate request by 75 percent and lowering the company’s allowed return‐on‐equity to 9.275 percent from the current 9.5 percent. The agreement slashes the company’s originally requested revenue hike by about $54 million and refunds all the benefits…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Aug. 23 rejected Southern California Edison Company’s proposal to curtail electricity delivery for customers with energy storage devices before considering other retail and wholesale users, in order to maintain system reliability during periods of high demand. The commission said it would be unduly discriminatory to treat storage customers differently…
The California Independent System Operator Corp. proposed amendments to broaden options for energy storage and customer-sited generation to earn revenue in wholesale power markets, according to an Aug. 20 filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as the grid manager looks to break down barriers for the emerging technology. The proposal would add three new…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Aug. 15 accepted proposals by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator Inc. to clarify that energy storage batteries are eligible to provide up and down ramping service, if technically capable. The measure is part of a broader push to open up markets to the emerging technology. FERC also affirmed MISO’s…
Gateway Energy Storage LLC, a unit of LS Power Development LLC, seeks an order from federal regulators directing San Diego Gas & Electric Co. to provide transmission and grid-connections services to deliver the output of its battery storage system onto the California grid. The commission’s consent is needed to preserve the status of San Diego…
The U.S. Energy Department will award funds to over two dozen projects aimed at tackling key technical challenges and to boost efficiency and lower costs of the technology, according to the agency’s Aug. 14 press release. With lower costs, hydrogen power holds the promise for use in energy storage, fueling large turbines at power plants,…
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, a Republican, signed legislation on Aug. 9 that strengthens the state’s renewable portfolio standard by requiring a 2 percent boost in procurement of the supplies each year from 2020 to 2029, up from the current 1 percent annual increase. The current goal requires 15 percent by 2020, followed by a one…
