Tag: storage

1.3 GW California Energy Storage Procurement Mandate Approved

The California Public Utilities Commission has unanimously approved a 1,325 MW energy storage procurement target for the state’s largest utilities in Decision 13-10-040. PG&E, SDG&E, and SCE must collectively procure 1,325 MW of energy storage resources by 2020, for installation no later than 2024. The first of at least four competitive solicitations for energy storage projects will … Continue Reading

PNWER Energy Storage Conference, Pivotal Leaders Event–Portland, October 8

The Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) Energy Storage Coaliation (ESC) will be holding an important energy storage conference at the Portland Convention Center on October 8, 2012.  ESC has worked with the Oregon and Washington public utility commissions to bring together a diverse mix of developers, utilities and regulators to share their perspectives on opportunities and barriers … Continue Reading

Upcoming Webinar on Order No. 755 (Frequency Regulation) and Energy Storage

  In October 2011, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued Order No. 755, which requires regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and independent system operators (ISOs) to pay for frequency regulation services based on the actual amount of service provided in response to actual or expected frequency deviations or interchange power imbalances.  The order directs RTOs … Continue Reading

CUB Policy Center and UO Hold Inaugural Smart Grid Conference in Portland

The CUB Policy Center, in partnership with the University of Oregon School of Law,  will be holding its inaugural policy conference: Smart Grid: Today’s Regulation and Tomorrow’s Technology, on Friday, October 21, 2011, at the University of Oregon White Stag Block (70 NW Couch St., Portland, OR 97209).  The luncheon keynote speaker will be former FERC Commissioner … Continue Reading

New Resources for Electric Energy Storage

For those who like to pay close attention to developments in the energy storage industry, take a look at Stationary Electricity Storage, which collects and presents articles about storage industry news, noteworthy projects, and other topics.  It’s well organized (with articles filtered by category, storage provider, organization and location), offers a free daily newsletter and looks like a good … Continue Reading

Upcoming Energy Conference Highlights

Through industry presentations and publications as well as through our blog, our energy attorneys are dedicated to helping you stay informed and knowledgeable about legal developments that affect your business. Visit our website for the latest calendar of events. Upcoming highlights include: Utah Solar Tour 2011 September 24 – Salt Lake City, UT Join Stoel … Continue Reading

CPUC Seeks Comments in AB 2514 Electric Storage System (ESS) Docket R.10-12-007

California’s AB 2514 directs the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) to determine appropriate targets, if any, for load-serving entities to procure viable and cost-effective energy storage systems. If the CPUC decides that targets are appropriate, it is supposed to set dates for achieving those targets. As a follow up to an AB 2514 workshop held … Continue Reading

EPRI Project to Develop Functional Requirements for Customer Energy Storage System (CESS) Launched – Public Webcast July 22

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is developing a new report to define functional requirements for customer energy storage systems (CESS). The project is engaging energy storage stakeholders to collaborate on the development of the functional requirements through a public process. EPRI’s effort is designed to create an understanding between electric utilities and their storage … Continue Reading

FERC Seeks Comments on Ancillary Markets and Energy Storage

On June 16, 2011, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) seeking comments on what it described as two separate but related issues, both of which apply to electric energy storage (EES).  First, because FERC is interested in facilitating the development of robust competitive markets to provide ancillary services from … Continue Reading

CEC Holds Workshop on Energy Storage for 2011 IEPR

The 2011 IEPR Committee Workshop on Energy Storage for Renewable Integration was held Thursday, April 28th at the California Energy Commission (CEC) offices in Sacramento.  The Workshop was presented in a three panel format, with each panel addressing specific topics, including (1) the need for energy storage in light of California’s renewable portfolio standard, greenhouse … Continue Reading

California Public Utilities Commission Holds Prehearing Conference on Energy Storage Procurement Targets

As we’ve previously discussed, California’s AB 2514 requires the CPUC and municipal utilities in California to open proceedings by March 1, 2012 to determine appropriate targets, if any, for the procurement of viable and cost-effective energy storage systems by load-serving entities. Over a year before that deadline, the CPUC opened Rulemaking 10-12-007 in December of last … Continue Reading

RFI for Substation-Size Li-ion Energy Storage System Demonstration Project

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Technology Transition Corporation recently issued a request for information (RFI) to prepare for multiple demonstrations and the market introduction of 1MW / 2MWh lithium ion battery energy storage systems (ESS) for electric utility grid management solutions.  EPRI and TTC have assembled a utility team for this project, and they encourage manufacturers … Continue Reading

Upcoming Electric Energy Storage (EES) Workshops

California’s AB 2514 requires the CPUC and municipal utilities in California to open proceedings by March 1, 2012 to determine appropriate targets, if any, for the procurement of viable and cost-effective energy storage systems by load-serving entities. By October 1, 2013, the CPUC must (1) determine whether a procurement target for energy storage is appropriate … Continue Reading

REMINDER: Applications for SBIR and STTR Phase I Grants Due November 15th

Don’t forget that the deadline for Phase I grant applications under the U.S. Department of Energy’s ("DOE") Small Business Innovation Research ("SBIR") and Small Business Technology Transfer ("STTR") programs is 8:00 p.m. Eastern, November 15, 2010.  Qualified small businesses with strong research capabilities in science or engineering in any of the research areas identified in … Continue Reading

Upcoming Webinar: Legal Implications of Energy Storage

Join Stoel Rives renewable energy partners Bill Holmes, Marcus Wood and Edna Vassilovski for this EUCI-sponsored webinar on Wednesday, October 20. They will be speaking on the Legal Implications of Energy Storage. This webinar will appeal to anyone involved in and with renewable energy. Overview of the role of energy storage in the overall energy system Intellectual property issues: … Continue Reading

FERC Comments on Electric Storage Technologies Due August 9

Just a friendly reminder that the deadline to submit comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) on electric storage technologies is just around the corner. In its Request for Comments Regarding Rates, Accounting and Financial Reporting for New Electric Storage Technologies, FERC’s Office of Energy Policy and Innovation seeks comments on the following issues:  The … Continue Reading

SHOW ME THE MONEY: DOE Offers $1.85 Billion in Solar Loan Guarantees

Saturday was a great day for solar energy: the DOE offered two conditional loan guarantee commitments: $1.45 billion loan guarantee to Abengoa Solar Inc. for the construction and start-up of a concentrating solar power (CSP) generating facility in Solana, Arizona and a $400 million loan guarantee to Abound Solar Manufacturing for the assembly of state-of-the-art … Continue Reading

Release of the “Western Wind and Solar Integration Study”

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory ("NREL") recently announced the release of the "Western Wind and Solar Integration Study"  (the "WWSIS"), which investigated the operational impact of up to 35% energy penetration of wind, photovoltaic, and concentrating solar power on the power system operated by the WestConnect group of utilities in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and … Continue Reading

Department of Energy, Department of the Interior, and Army Corps of Engineers Sign Memorandum of Understanding for Hydropower

On March 24, 2010, three federal agencies announced a Memorandum of Understanding for Hydropower (the “MOU”) that impacts developers of traditional hydropower, hydrokinetic, pumped storage, and small-scale hydropower facilities. The Department of Energy (“DOE”), the Department of the Interior (“DOI”), and the Department of the Army, through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“USACE”) (collectively, the … Continue Reading

Energy Storage Developers Call for National Storage Portfolio Standard

On July 13-14, 2009, I attended Infocast’s Storage Summit in La Jolla, California. The conference attracted over 200 attendees. On day one, Jim Woolsey, Venture Partner and Senior Advisor for VantagePoint Venture Partners and Former Director of the CIA, delivered a keynote address that focused on the theme of the role of energy storage in achieving … Continue Reading

FERC Aims to Accelerate Smart Grid Deployment

On July 16, 2009, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a Policy Statement on smart grid technologies, providing guidance on future smart grid interoperability standards and establishing an interim incentive rate policy that applies to near-term smart grid deployments (even those used in pilot or demonstration projects).  Notably, FERC identified four technologies as being … Continue Reading

New tax credit for “qualifying advanced energy project”

Although this blog is focused on renewable energy, manufacturers in the renewable space should be aware of a new tax credit included in the stimulus bill.  The provisions is complicated and unlike most tax credits.  Nevertheless, its benefits, especially for manufacturers on the cutting edge, may be too great to ignore.  Taxpayers who qualify are … Continue Reading
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