Energy storage technologies, such as solar and battery storage, are becoming widespread. Advanced energy storage technologies have tremendous potential to transform the electricity grid, but energy storage needs more clear policy and regulatory frameworks to scale across all markets.

The need for storage is growing as higher penetrations of solar, wind, and other distributed energy resources (DERs) connect to the grid. Energy storage technologies can help address intermittency and variability concerns associated with renewable energy. Storage can also address concerns about clean energy power curtailment that impact the financial viability of renewable energy projects.

IREC’s Energy Storage Work

IREC’s regulatory leadership and guidance is facilitating the development of regulatory policies on storage technologies, particularly on distributed energy storage. Our work helps enable the near-term and long-term growth for this promising distributed energy resource.

In 2020, IREC kicked off a 3-year project funded by the Department of Energy called Building A Technically Reliable Interconnection Evolution for Storage (BATRIES) to identify critical storage challenges and develop solutions to address them.

Charging Ahead: An Energy Storage Guide for Policymakers

To date, state policymakers and electric system stakeholders have largely navigated energy storage issues without the benefit of a roadmap to inform key regulatory and policy pathways for widespread deployment. This guide aims to address that gap by providing an in-depth discussion of the most urgent actions to take to enable viable energy storage markets that effectively empower states to take advantage of the full suite of advanced energy storage capabilities.

SolSmart Issue Brief: Solar + Storage, a Guide for Local Governments

This issue brief from the SolSmart program, led by IREC, helps local governments understand and benefit from energy storage technologies. The issue brief outlines:
1) The benefits of solar and energy storage for the electric grid and local governments;
2) Uses of solar and energy storage by local governments;
3) How to understand the feasibility and economics of storage within a community;
4) Key elements to include in requests for proposals (RFPs) involving energy storage; and
5) Resources for communities interested in implementing solar and energy storage.

This issue brief was written by the Cadmus Group.

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