A bipartisan alliance in the US has introduced legislation “to expand clean battery energy storage”, and launch an Advanced Energy Storage Caucus (AESC) to promote better understanding of storage technologies.
The legislative package— launched by Democrat Mark Takano and Republican Chris Collins, who together launched the Battery Energy Storage Caucus in 2015— introduces the Storage Technology for Operational Readiness and Generating Energy (STORAGE) Act, Battery Storage Innovation (BSI) Act, and the Advancing Grid Storage (AGS) Act.
The STORAGE Act would amend 40-year-old laws on utility regulatory policies to include energy storage systems on “the list of strategies statesshould consider when developing energy plans”.
The AGS Act “requires the Department of Energy to establish certain energy storage programmes.”
The AESC is intended to advance the understanding of energy storage systems among members of congress, including how “those systems are allowing Americans to access reliable and sustainable electric power”.
Takano and Collins recently attended a Capitol Hill briefing— organised by Battery Council International— which stressed the need for increased research into energy storage.
“Battery energy storage is the future of renewable energy, and cheap grid scale storage means that renewables can compete with fossil fuels on cost alone”, said Takano. “We must explore battery energy storage and invest in it to improve America’s energy infrastructure and make our national grid more secure.”
