Energy Storage Association Recognizes FERC’s Efforts
The Energy Storage Association recently announced it approves of the work the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is doing to support energy storage. FERC is conducting a review related to market barriers for energy storage. ESA says FERC is using a careful approach to helping energy storage expand in the marketplace.
“Energy storage is lowering costs, increasing reliability and enabling a more flexible electric grid everywhere that it is eligible to participate. We applaud FERC for undertaking this endeavor. The Energy Storage Association will continue to work closely with FERC on advancing the Commission’s goal of ensuring least cost solutions for reliable energy and for making sure markets operate efficiently,” explained Jason Burwen, ESA’s Policy and Advocacy Director.
ESA says FERC’s review indicates the commission is staying current with changes in energy storage, which is important because it is an emerging technology with a fairly new market. Additionally, energy storage supports renewable energy technologies such as solar and wind power, which are also growing. Energy storage is also standing on its own two feet at times, when it is used in other ways, such as for backup power and grid stabilization.
ESA addressed some of these other services when it asked FERC to do a number of things, such as, “Make markets more competitive by modifying capacity and ancillary services market designs to enable and reward participation of flexible resources like storage, including when paired with renewable energy generation and other resources.”
Norman Bay, the FERC Chairman has said energy storage could be pivotal, “Developments in storage have the potential to bring economic and reliability benefits to consumers, perhaps even to be game changers. Everybody recognizes costs will decline, but the question is how much and how soon.”
A 2013 FERC order was also regarded as being favorable toward energy storage.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has oversight of the interstate transmission of oil, natural gas, and electricity. It also licenses hydropower projects, among other activities.
Image Credit: Nick B, benboy00, Creative Commons By-SA 3.0
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