Some interesting developments this week for energy storage and the smart grid. As we’ve discussed before, distributed energy can play a lead role in the development of a national (or multi-state) smart grid precisely because of its ability to streamline energy management. Energy storage is an integral part of energy management; recently, a series of projects and legislative initiative have focused on promoting the optimization of the smart grid via storage.
In California, AB 2514, written by Rep. Nancy Skinner (D-Dist.14) and backed by California Attorney General Jerry Brown, calls for the establishment of a 5% storage rate by 2020, or the equivalent of 3,400 MW of energy storage capacity at today’s usage levels. AB 2514 is set to make history as the first legislation of this type to be enacted in the US. And for California, AB 2514 bridges the gap between the state’s commitment to renewable energy, and the need to enhance onsite solar and wind capabilities with energy storage in order to fold these power sources into a national smart grid structure.
California’s legislative initiative comes on the heels of several other similar developments around the country. In New York, for example, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has set aside $2.4 million for the installation of a 1-MW lithium-ion battery-based storage facility. Initially, the storage system will be applied to off-grid, onsite power systems, and then eventually be modified to work for on-grid applications—the ultimate goal being the ability to maximize renewable energy onsite as a supplemental power source for the grid.
And in Ohio, the S&C Electric Company for American Electric Power (AEP) is working to create a new community energy storage system, by combining onsite power with large-format lithium-ion batteries. Funded in part by a $75-million DOE grant (courtesy of the ARRA) AEP’s gridSMART demonstration project will be deployed to 110,000 area customers in and around Columbus in order to test the storage system.
So, what do you think? Are we pinning too many hopes and expectations on the Smart Grid? Is it a good sign that states are now willing to funnel money towards energy storage? And, is the push for renewable energy sources the main reason energy storage and onsite power are now a part of the national conversation, in terms of energy efficiency?
To read more about these projects:
California: www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_2501-2550/ab_2514_bill_20100219_introduced.pdf
New York: www.nyserda.org/Funding/616PON.html
Ohio: US utilities test new power storage technologies