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The Texas Energy Storage Alliance is a diverse and technology neutral coalition of energy storage technology product or services companies and allies pursuing an open and fair legal and regulatory environment in the Texas and ERCOT markets.
Texas Energy Storage Alliance News
June 25th, ERCOT in the News:
ERCOT appointed a committee Chair and Vice Chair for a new ERCOT Energy Storage Working Group. The Chair will come from NextEra, and Praveen Kathpal of AES, one of our TESA members, was designated Vice Chair. A date was not yet set for the group’s first meeting, although that is expected soon.
California State Assembly Passes Energy Storage Bill AB 2514
June 11th, 2010
Landmark Energy Storage Legislation Now Heads to Senate. See more information at the website of our sister organization California Energy Storage Alliance
“Energy Storage in Texas” Webinar held June 10th
June 10, 2010
Presenters:
Robert King, President, Good Company Associates;
Steve Isser, Ph.D., General Counsel and Senior Vice President;
Suzi McClellan, Director, Government Affairs (former ERCOT board member and TX Public Counsel)
The presentation is available here.
ERCOT Creates Power Storage Working Group
May 27, 2010
On April 13, ERCOT held a storage workshop to examine the nodal protocols and identify any changes that need to be made to allow the integration of ERCOT into the market. At the May ERCOT Board meeting, John Dumas presented his findings. The Board expressed support for necessary protocol changes and established the Power Storage Working Group which will be created under the Wholesale Market Subcommittee.
ERCOT’s Long Term Study will Address Storage Potential
May 27, 2010
ERCOT received $3.5 million in DOE funding to conduct a long term study to analyze the ERCOT system requirements . Unlike the usual studies conducted, this comprehensive study will examine the role that all resources, including storage, will play in meeting the system needs over the next 20 years. Good Company Associates is participating on the Long Term Study Task Force and representing the interests of the Texas Energy Storage Alliance.
ERCOT CEO to Sunset Advisory Commission: Changes for Storage are Coming
May 27, 2010
The Sunset Advisory Commission met on May 25, 2010 to discuss the future of the PUC and ERCOT. Trip Doggett (acting ERCOT CEO) addressed the issue of storage in ERCOT in response to questions he received. Mr. Doggett explained the benefits of storage in meeting the future ancillary service needs of ERCOT. He stated that the necessary ancillary services in the nodal market will be very different than those used in the zonal market. They will be faster acting and of a shorter duration. He indicated that we will see some changes in this area over the next year.
ERCOT Storage Report
May 18, 2010
Storage Technologies in the ERCOT Market
by John Dumas, Manager of Supply Integration and Grid Applications
This report by ERCOT is in response to a request by Commissioner Smitherman to examine the potential for, and barriers to, the deployment of storage technologies in the ERCOT Market.
The presentation summarizes the discussion that took place during the Storage Workshop of April 13, and presents these finding to the ERCOT Board.
Grid-based Energy Storage Report
March 16, 2010
SANDIA Report 2010-0815 Energy Storage for the Electricity Grid: Benefits and Market Potential Assessment Guide
by Jim Eyer and Garth Corey
This study was produced for the DOE Energy Storage Systems Program and released in February of 2010. It describes a high-level, technology-neutral framework for assessing potential benefits from and economic market potential for energy storage used for electric-utility-related applications.
New Technology Implementation Grants for Storage
Feburary 25, 2010
Last session, the Texas Legislature established a new technology implementation grant program to help fund the implementation of new technologies designed to reduce emissions. Electricity storage projects related to renewable energy are specifically listed as one of three types of eligible projects.
The state named Suzi McClellan, from Good Company Associates, as one of the ten participants in the Stakeholder Group designed to establishing the guidelines for the program. The Stakeholder Group will meet again in March to finalize the guidelines for the program.
Storage Incentives Covered in Texas Efficiency Rule
Feburary 24, 2010
The Texas Utility Energy Efficiency program law, and the implementing rules adopted by the PUC of Texas, explicitly make energy storage an eligible energy efficiency measure. The PUCT has proposed rule amendments that would increase the state’s efficiency goals substantially over the next five years, as much as quadrupling the current spending. Demand-side renewables and CHP are also eligible under the rule. For a summary of significant rule changes made in the proposed rule, and links to the full text of the rule please see Good Company’s summary of the rule. No changes to the existing language on storage were proposed, but comments are due on March 15.
Chairman Smitherman Calls on ERCOT to Identify Barriers to Storage
January 2010
At the January ERCOT Board of Directors Meeting, PUC Chairman Barry Smitherman asked ERCOT to review all the ERCOT Protocols and Nodal Protocols to identify any potential barriers to storage providing ancillary services. Although the ERCOT staff was unable to say which protocols may prevent integration of these storage services, they did indicate that the protocols are likely to contain some barriers. ERCOT Staff offered to meet with interested parties about any necessary Protocol changes. Chairman Smitherman asked ERCOT to report back to the Board of Directors with their results.
Storage Companies Form Texas Energy Storage Alliance
January 2010
This month leading players in the Texas energy storage market came together to create the Texas Energy Storage Alliance to advance the policy environment for energy storage in the Texas and ERCOT markets. Current members include AES (generation and distribution), Beacon Power (flywheel storage), Exergy Power (thermal storage), and Ideal Power Converters (power converters for distributed renewables and storage systems). Good Company Associates, a consulting firm specializing in energy policy and business development in the Texas energy market, will be providing staff support to the Alliance.