Large-Scale Energy Storage

Large-scale energy storage projects are fast-starting, quick-ramping, high-capacity resources that can help balance peak loads and enhance clean-energy resources’ ability to meet the needs of the electric grid. Strategic bulk-storage investments will allow us to park surplus renewable energy for times of low supply, and provide flexibility to the grid without burning fossil fuels. CEERT vigorously advocates for large-scale storage at the CAISO and in CPUC procurement rulemakings.

Recent Developments:

CEERT and Clean Power Campaign have continued working to develop public and stakeholder support for long-duration storage (LDS) as a crucial element of California’s clean energy portfolio.  As dramati­cally illustrated during the recent power outages and Stage 2 alert, California needs more LDS, as well as a more balanced renewable portfolio that includes geothermal and regional wind, to ensure grid reliability and affordability.  There is strong support for LDS, especially pumped hydro, by key elements of orga­nized labor, but cost allocation and environmental impacts of some proj­ects have resulted in opposition from utility customer groups and some environmentalists.

We are collaborating with the Gates Foundation and some emerging LDS devel­op­ers on the need to accel­er­ate technology demonstrations and commercialization of these technolo­gies as part of California’s strat­egy for getting to 100% clean energy and net-zero carbon.

CEERT has been working closely with the joint environmental parties, which include the California Envi­ronmental Justice Alliance and Sierra Club, in their campaign to press the CPUC to reduce emis­sions and phase out gas-fired generation in disadvantaged communities.  We are sharing our perspectives with these and other stakeholders on the importance of LDS as a neces­sary part of gas-reduction strategy.  In addi­tion, CEERT is working on a white paper on the total system cost of natural gas and the impacts of gas price spikes on utility rates, which will underscore the need for LDS.