Energy Storage Policy and Regulation

Advancing energy storage policies, programs, and regulations to accelerate an equitable clean energy transition.

Tomorrow’s clean and renewable electric grid will be built on a foundation of flexible, responsive energy storage technologies. Supporting the equitable scale-up of those technologies, and the development of applications and markets, is the task of state policy and regulation.

Energy storage not only enables the integration of higher levels of renewable energy; it can also make the transition to a cleaner grid more efficient, cost-effective, and inclusive. Clean Energy Group works with a diverse array of stakeholders across the country to support the development of state, regional and federal policies that will unlock the potential of energy storage. With the right policies and programs, energy storage will deliver benefits to every participant on the electric grid, from grid operators and utilities to communities and individuals.

Sean Hamilton (Sterling Municipal Light Department), Dan Borneo (Sandia National Laboratories), Scott Reynolds (Reynolds Engineering), Dr. Imre Gyuk (U.S. Department of Energy-Office of Electricity), Todd Olinsky-Paul (Clean Energy States Alliance), Judith Judson (Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources), and Doug Alderton (NEC Energy Solutions). October 2016.

Who We Serve

Clean Energy Group provides support to and collaborates with state and federal agencies, policymakers, nonprofit advocates, utilities, regulatory agencies, energy industry experts, and community-based organizations. CEG provides information, technical guidance, policy and regulatory design support, and independent analysis to help break down the barriers to energy storage deployment and advance the development and implementation of accessible and inclusive energy storage policy.

Project Impact

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Provided energy storage policy and program development support to numerous states including Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, Illinois, Hawaii, Colorado, and the District of Columbia.

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Supported the development and implementation of the first battery-based virtual power plants (VPP)s in in Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island and New Jersey; and advanced VPP models in collaboration with additional states and utilities across the country. 

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Advocated for the inclusion of equity provisions in state energy storage programs and policy, and established equity best practices for state energy agencies.

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Worked closely with state energy agencies and advocacy organizations to integrate energy storage into state energy efficiency plans, helping to unlock millions of dollars in funding for customer adoption of grid-connected energy storage systems in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Maine. 

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Supported the development of incentive, grant, and procurement programs providing hundreds of millions of dollars to accelerate the development of energy storage pilots and demonstration projects. These projects have demonstrated how storage can lower peak demand, reduce reliance on fossil fuel power plants, reduce energy system costs, increase renewables integration, and strengthen community resilience in states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maine, Vermont, Washington and Oregon. 

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Conducted independent analysis on energy storage policy best practices, opportunities and barriers, including such topics as energy storage benefit-cost analysis, interconnection barriers, winter reliability benefits, support for electrification, and opportunities to create virtual power plants.

Project Partners

Meet Our Team

Todd Olinsky-Paul

Senior Project Director

[email protected]