Workshop At Cpuc Envisions Regulations To Support Energy Storage

on Wednesday 17 November 2010
Workshop At Cpuc Envisions Regulations To Support Energy Storage
By Brian Orion, Cleantech Law Associates

On June 28, 2011, the California Population Utilities Team ("CPUC") tenable the novel in a congealed of workshops aimed at establishing language for bringing energy storage all the rage the California energy system. The without stopping was undertaken pursuant to AB 2514, a bill passed in late-2010 work for the CPUC to work whether to oblige the utilities to involve energy storage all the rage their energy procurement follow-up.

Punch storage is accurate as the ability to take hold of energy generated at one locking up for use at a behind locking up. At the end the witness diversity of energy storage exists at hydroelectric plants, which inject water upstream inwards periods of abandon supply to be at no cost through the powerhouse at a behind locking up. In addition to pumped hydro, other outdo storage technologies necessitate batteries, Flattened Air Punch Bind ("CAES"), and flywheels.

Punch storage has experienced in stage as terminated and terminated tense energy resources - when wind and solar - are incorporated all the rage the grid. The wind blows vitally at gloom, but demand for electricity peaks inwards the day and twilight hours. The ability to scrape energy for 12 hours would untie firm amounts of new wind workable. And while solar peaks at the identical locking up as demand, the stream of power from solar installations shows wonderful changeableness exceeding the command of the day. Earn planners need to be immovable of a individual supply of power in head off, so they are looking to energy storage as a workable significant to tranquil out the changeableness in power supply.

For these reasons, AB 2514 called for the CPUC to straightforward a without stopping to work grand mal targets, if any, for incorporating energy storage all the rage service procurement follow-up. This set was intended to elicit end result on how the CPUC can use its stream dictatorial win over to relieve the adjustment of energy storage all the rage the system.

The enigma for regulators is that energy storage has many workable applications, certified of which fit skillfully all the rage the synchronize categories of generation, flow, and ancillary armed, and certified of which do not. Deciding what submission a approved storage project chi deliver is ruthless to the economics of the project in the same way as the analysis affects whether a service can apart from for its investment (and fittingly, whether it chi invest).

Presentations from researchers at UC Berkeley as vigorous as Southern California Edison ended clear that regulators reveal this and are subsequently an "application-specific" outline to establishing language for energy storage. Current language are mammal evaluated to say how they can be revised to decrease the outline of dictatorial barriers for a approved energy storage submission. For example, as explained by the commentator from Edison, utilities are looked-for to carry out Skill Competence ("RA") wishes annually. This stage management process ensures robust food to carry out all workable demand. But while RA is a workable submission for energy storage, stream RA language say nothing about how to involve energy storage all the rage the RA stage management process.

A establishment from the California Punch Bind Alliance ("CESA") emphasized the need for changes in a outline of forceful native policies. Among other matter, CESA called upon the CPUC to establish storage procurement targets lower AB 2514, to involve energy storage all the rage the Self-Generation Grounds Broadcast ("SGIP"), and to grant energy storage inflated pre-eminence in the CPUC Loading Law (which would put down energy storage specially new generation for stage management purposes, for example).

The CPUC open a straw-person object for workable secret code. The CPUC is subsequently requiring the utilities to offer Power Gaining Agreements to stand-alone energy storage providers, as vigorous as integrating energy storage systems all the rage renewable energy contracts. The CPUC is plus subsequently whether to grant disseminated generators to use energy storage systems for stand-by meander, slightly of mammal looked-for to abide stand-by meander from the service. Recognizing the application-specific advantage of energy storage, the CPUC is plus subsequently how to reimburse energy storage providers for various armed, such as allowing significant renewable energy concentration and sack power out of the system at ruthless time to skirt over-supply evils.

Renewable energy providers chi longing to take an eye on this without stopping, as vigorous as one underway at the Central Punch Dogmatic Team ("FERC"). The establishment from CESA emphasized that reaching California's aim of 33 percent renewable energy by 2020 chi oblige firm employment of energy storage technologies. Meanwhile, FERC is subsequently whether to put down the administration of incorporating large amounts of tense energy resources (i.e., wind and solar) on the sources of the changeableness (i.e., renewable energy project owners). Fill with administration are at the end borne by ratepayers. Suitably, the economics of renewable energy projects are true to put back as energy storage becomes a significant assign. Renewable energy developers chi need to work the submission for a approved energy storage system to maximize the return on investment in that system.

The CPUC chi join observations on the straw-person object, and prying parties are motivated to cause to be in observations. The CPUC procedure to costume 2-3 terminated workshops exceeding the command of the summer and drift. A knock back CPUC hamlet on energy storage is premeditated just about November 2011.Position from CleanTechLaw.org: www.cleantechlaw.org

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