Following Massive Aliso Canyon Gas Leak, California Legislature Takes Smart Look at Energy Storage Bills

CESA Supports Four Bills That Will Advance Energy Storage Solutions in California

PRESS RELEASE

April 20, 2016

Sacramento, CA – In light of the massive recent gas leak at Aliso Canyon, the role of 
energy storage solutions in diversifying the grid’s power resources and increasing electricity reliability 
has magnified and become more urgent. Four complementary energy storage bills are poised to 
advance through the California legislature this week. These bills will collectively ensure that energy 
storage solutions are poised to help California improve reliability and achieve its renewable energy and 
greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. Through these bills, the California Legislature is rising to the 
challenge of creating a more affordable, cleaner electric grid for all Californians. The California Energy 
Storage Alliance (CESA) strongly supports these four bills.

•  Addressing Permitting Challenges – AB 2713 (Chiu and Mullin) helps cities and counties safely 
  and efficiently permit customer-located energy storage projects through the creation of a 
  handbook of best practices. 
•  Smoothing Interconnection to the Grid – AB 2861 (Ting) establishes a process to ensure 
  customer-located energy resources including energy storage can plug into the grid in a timely 
  manner and without unreasonable costs. This bill allows disputes on interconnections to be 
  resolved through a fast, independent review.
• Saving Customers Money – AB 2868 (Gatto) directs the major electric utilities to help homes and 
  businesses install energy storage systems that save money on their electric bills and support a 
  reliable electric grid. This bill focuses first on low-income, commercial and industrial customers, 
  all of whom are heavily affected by rising electricity costs.
• Moving Towards More Green Power – SB 886 (Pavley) directs longer-term planning with an eye 
  towards energy storage, reducing reliance on natural gas and using energy storage to capture 
  renewable energy sources, which will account for 50% of grid resources in 2030. Importantly, 
  this bill supports energy storage deployments through customer-focused actions and 
  establishment of a new utility storage procurement goal for 2030, building on the 2020 goal 
  initiated by AB 2514 (Skinner) in 2010. 

Janice Lin, Executive Director of CESA, notes, “These four bills will work together to prepare California 
for a cleaner, more reliable, affordable and resilient energy future. Adding energy storage to the grid 
supports renewable energy and electric vehicle integration, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and 
helps customers manage their electricity costs. These bills are yet another way in which California is 
leading the way in fostering advanced energy solutions.”