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Policy Work

California’s Most Effective Advocate for Energy Storage
We show up everywhere it matters—CPUC, CAISO, the Legislature, and beyond.

CESA is California’s most active and effective advocate for the storage industry—and we show up everywhere it matters, at the federal, state, and local levels. At the CPUC. At CAISO. At the California Legislature. At the CEC. At FERC. At local jurisdictions trying to block your projects.

We are there. We provide expertise. And we deliver.

California has the most complex energy policy landscape in the nation, and CESA’s job is to cut through it on behalf of our members. We turn that complexity into opportunity—growing the market, shaping the rules, and ensuring storage gets the recognition, procurement, and market access it deserves.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

  • We grow the market — securing landmark procurement orders and pushing California toward a future where storage is central to grid reliability.
  • We fix the rules — clearing away regulatory barriers, artificial constraints, and local restrictions that stand between your projects and the finish line.
  • We shape market design — ensuring storage is properly modeled, priced, and dispatched so our members can compete and win.

We do this grounded in three core principles: we champion all forms of storage; we fight for competitive and transparent markets; and we engage collaboratively and constructively—because lasting wins require building coalitions, not just filing comments.

Explore below to see our key accomplishments and the work we’re doing right now to keep storage moving forward in California.

Key CESA Victories!

Legislative Wins
2025
AB 283 & SB 302
CESA shaped and supported the passage of AB 283 that strengthens BESS safety.

CESA supported the passage of SB 302 that excludes IRA-related clean energy tax credits from CA taxable income.
2022
AB 2625 & AB 205
CESA sponsored and passed AB 2625 to get standalone storage exemptions from the Subdivision Map Act​.

CESA shaped AB 205 Budget Act to secure $140M for the CEC’s Long Duration Energy Storage Program.
2018
SB 700 & SB 1369
CESA supported and shaped passage of SB 700 that extended the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) through 2024.

CESA supported and shaped passage of SB 1369, which defines green electrolytic hydrogen and directs CA agencies to include green electrolytic hydrogen as a form of energy storage.
2017
SB 801 & AB 546
CESA shaped passage of SB 801 to have energy storage count as a reliability solution in response to the Aliso Canyon emergency.

CESA sponsored and passed AB 546 to require the CEC to develop an energy storage permitting guidebook.
2016
AB 2868 & AB 2861
CESA shaped AB 2868 investments and programs for distribution-connected storage.

CESA shaped passage of AB 2861 to establish an interconnection dispute resolution process.
2015
AB 33
CESA supports passage of AB 33, directing CEC and CPUC to analyze the role of LDES.
2014
SB 861
CESA successfully advocated for inclusion of a key provision in SB 861 to extend the SGIP program to 2019, and expands programs to include distributed energy resources (not just generation technologies).​
2010
AB 2514
CESA worked closely with Governor Jerry Brown to enact AB 2514, the world’s first bill focused on energy storage. The bill required the CPUC to open an energy storage proceeding and consider energy storage procurement targets for the state’s utilities.
Regulatory Wins
2025
Balanced Permitting
CESA shaped balanced permitting guidelines with state and local agencies and helped avert local moratoria on BESS projects.
2024
Storage Procurement Secured
CPUC establishes the need for centralized procurement of 1 GW of 12+ hour emerging storage and ​1 GW of multi-day storage.

CAISO updates market rules​ to no longer prevent energy storage from submitting day ahead market bids up to the soft offer cap of $2K.
2022
Storage Market Enhancements
CAISO adopted energy storage enhancements to co-located resource functionality and ancillary service proposals​.

CAISO adopted various interconnection process enhancements, including deliverability allocation groups.
2021
Storage Policy Wins
CPUC adopted additive QC for hybrid and co-located resources.

FERC approved WDAT storage distribution service rates via settlement.

CPUC refined the Emergency Load Reduction Program to compensate exports from behind-the-meter resources.
2021
Storage Policy Wins
CPUC issued MTR Procurement Order for 11,500 MW of incremental capacity, including 1,000 MW of LDES by 2026​.

CPUC adopted energy storage eligibility to ReMAT and PURPA projects​.
2020
Equity Storage Advanced
CPUC approved CESA’s Petition to transfer $108M in SGIP funds to support shovel-ready Equity storage projects​.

CPUC approved V2X interconnection rules​.
2020
Storage Rules Refined
CPUC directed modifications to LTES dynamic valuation rules in SGIP​​.

CAISO adopted guardrails to use of minimum state of charge (MSOC) requirement for energy storage resources​.
2018
Storage Procurement Expanded
CPUC adopted a multiple-use applications framework for energy storage.

CPUC adopted an IRP for 2,200 MW of energy storage to meet the 42 MMT GHG target by 2030.

CPUC approved 567.5 MW in PG&E Moorpark Calpine Reliability Must Run procurement.​
2017
Station Power Rules
CPUC adopted station power rules for standalone energy storage systems​.
2016
BTM Storage Expanded
CAISO approved MGO performance evaluation for BTM storage under PDR and DERP models.

CPUC ordered 104.5 MW of energy storage procurement in response to the Aliso Canyon emergency.

CPUC approved major SGIP reforms prioritizing BTM storage and supporting LDES.
2014
First Storage RFO
CPUC orders first biennial energy storage RFO procurements​.
2013
Storage Procurement Mandated
CPUC orders minimum 50 MW in SCE LTPP plan​​.​

CPUC orders 261 MW in historic SCE LCR procurement​.​

CPUC adopts 1,325 GW energy storage procurement mandate​.
2011
Storage Rulemaking Implemented
CPUC implements AB 2514 (see Legislative Wins above) by opening a rulemaking on energy storage.
2009
SGIP Includes Storage
CPUC adds energy storage to SGIP​.

Policy and Regulatory Activity Shaped by Our Member Working Groups

CESA actively engages in California's major regulatory forums to advance safe, reliable, and market-enabling pathways for energy storage. Our filings are organized by Working Group, reflecting CESA's core areas of regulatory advocacy. To explore recent filings, select a Working Group below to expand the section and view detailed updates.

Each Working Group channels member feedback into focused regulatory engagement, ensuring California's clean energy transition is supported by practical, market-driven policy solutions.
Safety & Permitting

The Safety and Permitting Working Group convenes CESA members and stakeholders to advance best practices for energy storage safety, system design and siting and permitting. The group tracks updates to fire codes, safety standards, and research developments, while coordinating industry input into regulatory and code-development processes. Its work helps ensure safe deployment of storage technologies while supporting continued market growth. The group also tracks and engages in land use and permitting topics related to storage, including local ordinance development and zoning code updates. 

California Independent System Operator (CAISO)

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) Working Group engages in wholesale market design and operational rules that shape how energy storage participates in California and across the West’s grid. Members collaborate to improve market modeling of storage operations, ensure markets reflect real-time opportunity costs energy storage resources face, and address issues such as uplift payments, hybrid participation, and state-of-charge management. These efforts help ensure storage resources are efficiently dispatched and fairly compensated in CAISO markets.

Resource Adequacy (RA)

The Resource Adequacy (RA) Working Group focuses on California’s capacity planning framework and policies that determine how storage resources contribute to grid reliability. Members engage on reforms to capacity accreditation, resource availability rules, and procurement structures at both CAISO and CPUC. Key topics include hybrid capacity methodologies, hourly capacity frameworks, and long-duration storage accreditation, all of which directly influence the value and role of storage in meeting reliability requirements.

Integrated Resource Plans (IRP)

The Integrated Resource Plans (IRP) Working Group engages in California’s long-term planning process to ensure energy storage capabilities are accurately reflected in system modeling and procurement decisions. Members review modeling assumptions, resource valuation methods, and planning scenarios that determine least-cost portfolios for meeting reliability, emissions, and clean energy goals. This work helps ensure that storage resources are appropriately considered and valued in future grid planning and procurement strategies.

Emerging Technologies & Long-Duration Storage

The Emerging Technologies & Long-Duration Storage Working Group explores policy pathways and market opportunities for next-generation energy storage technologies, including long-duration energy storage (LDES). The group evaluates procurement frameworks, funding opportunities, and regulatory developments that can accelerate commercialization and grid integration of emerging storage technologies. Note: This working group is currently merged with the IRP working group.

Distributed Energy Resources (DER)

The Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Working Group advocates for policies and programs that expand deployment and compensation opportunities for distribution-connected storage, spanning both front-of-meter and behind-the-meter systems. The group works to improve interconnection processes and strengthen demand response frameworks. It also pursues funding for distributed energy programs and works to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens on distributed storage resources.

Legislation (Board Members Only)

 The Legislation Working Group (Board Members Only) enables CESA Board Members to guide the organization’s legislative strategy and policy priorities. Working with CESA staff and Sacramento lobbyists, the group evaluates proposed legislation, develops advocacy strategies, and educates policymakers about the value of energy storage in supporting California’s reliability and clean energy goals.

Advocacy That Yields Results