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energy storage energy
Energy storage system
storage’ and then together they hashed Backman said in 2020, the industry is on how to include energy storage in long-
out a solution. expected to triple. term planning. After all, if you are planning
“It was a great compromise between third- “Our job as advocates for energy storage to add storage to your network, you want
party suppliers, utilities, manufacturers all is to get ahead of that curve and push it to make sure that you are getting the most
of those who have a stake in that game,” open for more markets to happen because out of the multiple values it provides, said
she said. ESA published the results and we need to get to 35 GW by 2025,” she Speakes-Backman.
now uses that document as a playbook to said, adding “that’s a goal that we think is
help guide them when they go into states reasonable and it’s a goal that will really
or work with lawmakers and regulators on enable more clean energy on the grid.”
policy. Advocacy work happens in states that “So you have your generation
don’t normally come to mind as energy folks that are doing long-
storage trailblazers. That’s because those term planning and your
ESA’s the third major objective trailblazing states, like California and distribution folks that are
is to educate lawmakers Hawaii, already understand the value of doing long-term planning,”
and regulators about energy the technology, said Speakes-Backman. she said, “So between all of
storage. Speakes-Backman Instead, the ESA goes into states “where those how do you make sure
said the group works almost we think we can make a difference in the you are getting as much value
next 1 or 2 years to advance policy.”
as an advance team, entering out of a single asset as you
states ahead of the market so Promising state regulations should be can?”
passed soon in New Jersey in response to
that when a utility is ready a study, according to Speakes-Backman.
to put forth a proposal that She said that Minnesota is another
includes energy storage, state to watch as it has passed some The training concludes with a simulated
regulators already have a really good legislation as well. Indeed, proceeding before a mock public utilities
board so that utilities can test out selling
good understanding about according to Speakes-Backman, 32 states their new plan.
the technology. have procurement requirements for
energy storage in place and 21 states have It’s a pretty sure bet that all utilities will be
passed legislation or regulations relating increasing the amount of energy storage
The incredible growth of energy storage to storage. in their networks in the near future.
(Courtesy of POWERGRID International)
From 2017-2018, the installed capacity Putting storage in your utility’s future
of energy storage doubled and in 2019 One exciting new launch for the ESA is a
it grew by about 50 percent. Speakes- one-and-a-half-day training for utilities
AFRICAN POWER Mining & Oil Review Vol 28, Issue 29, 2019 | 37

