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.
How the bills work together:
- 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.”