The Obama Administration has outlined ambitious plans to diversify the nation’s energy supply— particularly, through promoting the rapid development of both centralized and distributed renewable generation. The “Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future” proposes the establishment of a Clean Energy Standard. It notes that 80 percent of the nation’s electricity will be generated by a [...]

Energy storage technologies and applications continue to advance. Yet much work is still to be done on developing policies and standards for energy storage devices and applications. So how do developers, manufacturers, and end users gain confidence in their energy storage investments?

A look at recent history of electricity market innovations in the United States shows that competitive markets have fostered—and will continue to foster—innovation in the U.S. electricity industry. Three case studies shed light on aspects of competitive electricity markets that can help accelerate innovation.

There is an alternative to large central energy storage—especially for battery-based systems. Located at the “edge of the grid,” where electric distribution meets the customer, community energy storage is a building block for ‘distributed bulk’ storage. 

CapEx deferral is plausible for energy storage devices applied to T&D power transformer upgrades for subtransmission and distribution substations. Yet, another substation application tells a different story.