PRESS RELEASE
June 4, 2010
Sacramento, CA – The California State Assembly yesterday passed AB 2514, landmark
legislation that will create a smarter, cleaner electric grid, increase the use of renewable energy,
save Californians money by avoiding costly new power plants, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and other harmful air pollutants through the use of energy storage technologies by utility
companies.
Authored by Assembly member Nancy Skinner (D - Berkeley) Chair of the Assembly Rules
Committee, in partnership with California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr., AB 2514 will also
create thousands of permanent new green-collar jobs in California.
The bill would require the Public Utilities Commission by March 1, 2012, to open a proceeding to
consider establishing investor owned utility procurement targets for viable and cost-effective energy
storage systems to be achieved by December 31, 2015, and an additional target to be achieved by
December 31, 2020. Publicly owned utilities would have comparable requirements, and would be
required to develop plans to maximize shifting of electricity use for air-conditioning and
refrigeration from peak demand periods to off peak periods.
“Energy storage improves the overall efficiency of our electric power system which will lower costs
for consumers”, said Assemblymember Nancy Skinner. “The Assembly’s passage of AB 2514 is
another step that advances California’s clean energy economy and represents a great economic
opportunity for the State.”
“We applaud the Assembly’s passage of this essential legislation, as well as Chairman Skinner and
Attorney General Brown’s leadership and commitment to moving it forward,” said Janice Lin,
Director of the California Energy Storage Alliance. “This landmark bill puts California at the forefront
of a growing global market that will spur economic development. Given major advances in energy
storage, the industry is now ready to provide affordable, reliable products for California’s utilities
and consumers.”
The California Energy Storage Alliance
The California Energy Storage Alliance is an association of companies committed to the rapid
expansion of energy storage to promote growth of renewable energy and a cleaner, more
affordable, reliable and secure electric system. Members include a diverse group of companies
ranging from mechanical, thermal and chemical storage companies to system integrators and
renewable energy component manufacturers and developers. (www.storagealliance.org)