After months of work, the state’s two key energy agencies and grid operator released a joint blueprint for advancing energy storage in California Jan. 8.<!--more--> “This document details specific actions needed to optimize this maturing technology,” said Steve Berberich, California Independent System Operator chief executive officer. Advancing and Maximizing the Value of Energy Storage Technology – A California Roadmap seeks to guide future regulatory proceedings and policies. The CAISO, California Public Utilities Commission and Energy Commission developed the 24-page document together following workshops with numerous stakeholders—from utilities to environmental groups. The roadmap seeks to help "increase revenue and reduce costs," for storage projects connecting to the grid. It recommends "actions to increase the certainty of the future of energy storage," said commissioner Carla Peterman. The blueprint better defines the challenges as well as the clarity needed in the areas of planning, rates, interconnection and market participation to promote the market for existing and new storage technologies. Online technologies include pumped storage, batteries, flywheels, and compressed air projects. Storing excess power and feeding it into the grid or high voltage lines as needed helps stabilize the grid, reduce the need for fossil resources, and cut energy consumption. State law requires Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric to procure 1,325 MW of energy storage projects and have them online by 2024. Energy storage planning is in the California Public Utilities Commission’s bailiwick. Rate treatment for storage is handled both by the CPUC and the grid operator because projects at the distribution level handled by the utilities can cross over into the wholesale market. There also are transmission level technologies. Wrapped in the rate treatment are costs to developers—such as transmission access charges. Developers and investors seek some security that they will profit from the projects. Storing energy at peak times and feeding it back to the grid or transmission system make it a “market resource,” insist developers. Part and parcel of this are attempts to site storage with renewable resources and demand response, known as “hybrid configuration.” However, understating the technologies’ characteristics at both the distribution and transmission level—including how and where power flows are affected—is the crux of the issue for utilities and the grid operator. Other outstanding issues that have impeded the expansion of energy storage include: •Developers’ concerns about duplicative metering—telemetry and metering (Telemetry refers to the real time measurement of a technology’s energy or consumption. Metering focuses on measuring customer energy use, as well as charges for utility billing purposes.); and •Treatment of fire standards. <a href="mailto:e2mccarthy@gmail.com"><i>Elizabeth McCarthy</i></a>