CESA Applauds Signing of Bipartisan Legislation Granting Energy Storage Zoning Exemption

Legislation eases development barriers to energy storage deployments in California, places energy storage on equal footing as other clean energy technologies.

PRESS RELEASE

August 29, 2022

Sacramento, CA –The California Energy Storage Alliance (CESA), a membership-based organization committed to advancing the role of energy storage in the electric power sector, applauds the signing of AB 2625, granting an exemption to the Subdivision Map Act for energy storage systems to support California’s grid resilience and decarbonization goals. 

The legislation, sponsored by CESA and authored by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), facilitates the deployment of energy storage technologies by removing the requirement for development sites to be formally subdivided. With the passage of the AB 2625, a portion of a parcel of land can be leased without the need for that parcel to be subdivided, allowing for more efficient development timelines and improved project economics. With this legislation, energy storage systems can now receive similar zoning treatment as solar and wind energy projects.  

The process of formally subdividing a parcel can be lengthy, and timelines can be prolonged substantially, depending on the jurisdiction and the parcel being subdivided. The timeline for processing and approving subdivisions can add months, at minimum, to the permitting process, given that final parcel maps are approved via vote by the local City Council or County Board of Supervisors.  As permits must be secured at least a year before an energy storage system can begin operations, easing development barriers such as the formal subdivision of parcels is a key strategy to integrate more clean energy technologies onto California’s grid more rapidly and cost-effectively.  

“California is justifiably recognized as a global clean energy leader, and this legislation allows our state to continue to set the pace for others to follow,” Assemblymember Ting said. “The bipartisan support my bill received is a testament to the benefits that clean energy delivers to all Californians — economic growth and job creation, cleaner air, strengthened energy security, and lower energy bills. I am encouraged by the momentum we have built for this overdue reform, and I look forward to seeing an even more rapid deployment of energy storage to further California’s clean energy goals, strengthen our grid, and reduce the cost of electricity across the state.” 

Energy storage has a critical role to play in California’s ability to attain its goal of procuring 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2045. Energy storage integrates variable renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, by storing it where it is produced and delivering it to the grid when it is needed. While energy storage capacity has grown rapidly in California in recent years, CESA estimates California will need at least an additional 10,000 MW of new storage in the next decade. 

“A vibrant, growing energy storage industry has a vital role to play in supporting California’s clean energy transition and delivering a more affordable, efficient, reliable, safe and sustainable electric power system for all Californians,” CESA Executive Director Alex Morris said. “To meet its ambitious decarbonization goal, California will need to develop and deploy hundreds of new storage installations. While much work remains to be done, I believe this legislation is a key milestone in our effort and greatly improves the efficient permitting of a resource California increasingly cannot live without.” 

To learn more about CESA and the role it plays in accelerating California’s clean energy transition, visit www.storagealliance.org.