Archive for: Seth Mullendore

California’s recently adopted building standards require solar to be a part of all new residential construction. As the first state to enact such a standard, it’s been lauded as a historic and game-changing event for solar power in the U.S. But some have argued that the new standards don’t go far enough.

Three of California’s largest utilities recently proposed more than 100 megawatts of utility-owned energy storage to support resiliency in critical public facilities and $6 million in incentives for customer-owned storage at multifamily affordable housing properties.

Extreme weather and related power outages come with a price tag, but these costs are not typically accounted for when considering the potential benefits of a resilient power system. The result is that fewer solar+storage systems pencil-out to make economic sense than would be the case if the power resilience they provide was accurately valued.

When natural disasters strike, people suffer, and the worst hit are invariably the most vulnerable among us – the elderly, the disabled, and the economically and socially disadvantaged.

The 2017 hurricane season is forcing many communities and states to once again focus on disaster preparedness and the critical role of resilient power during emergencies.

New research shows that more than 25 percent of commercial utility customers across the US may be able to cut electricity costs with batteries today. What’s more, some of the best economic opportunities can be found in surprising states like Colorado, Nebraska, Illinois, and Georgia.

Impending changes to net metering policies and utility rates could drastically reduce the value of solar bill savings for commercial ratepayers in California. For affordable housing properties, the changes could translate into a 50 percent loss in solar savings.

Hawaii’s time-of-use pilot program could have profound implications for the value of solar systems on the islands, and energy storage might be needed to keep those systems economic. In that story is a lesson for the country and the future of solar.

The next wave of America’s clean energy revolution is all about energy storage. A recent study from Massachusetts showed how states might lead the way.

It is now time to consider another key benefit of storage—public health, especially the power of energy storage to reduce pollution in marginalized communities.