October 5, 2011

Energy Storage: A Current Assessment

Co-sponsored by:
The Environmental Law Institute
Farella Braun + Martel LLP
Berkeley Law Center for Law, Energy & the Environment

UNPLUGGED: THE RENEWABLE ENERGY SPEAKER SERIES
California is today experiencing a "Gold Rush" in renewable energy. Many energy companies, attorneys, consultants and environmental organizations are working with federal, state and local governments to find ways to design and develop renewable energy projects that benefit the public while protecting the environment and natural resources. Berkeley Law Center for Law, Energy & the Environment, The Environmental Law Institute and Farella Braun + Martel held a series of bimonthly panel discussions to address the issues involved in renewable energy project development.

Panel Session 5: Energy Storage: A Current Assessment

Energy storage–such as batteries, compressed air and pumped hydro facilities–has been called the "Holy Grail" of the electricity grid. These technologies can balance intermittent solar and wind energy, reduce peak energy demand and provide important grid services, among other roles. But barriers such as high costs, market rules and technology maturity have stymied a significant deployment of energy storage. Coinciding with the completion of a major energy storage report jointly prepared by three University of California campuses, an expert panel will discuss the commercial status of the various technologies, legislative and regulatory efforts underway, ongoing research and development needs and potential market reforms to boost energy storage deployment in California and beyond.

Panelists:
Steve Weissman, Director of the Energy Program, UC Berkeley Center for Law, Energy and Environment (moderator)
Ethan Elkind, Research Fellow, UC Berkeley/UCLA Law
Andy Katz, Chair, Sierra Club California
Rebecca Lee, Energy Division, California Public Utilities Commission
Janice Lin, Co-Founder and Executive Director, California Energy Storage Alliance

Materials:
Ethan Elkind, powerpoint, "2020 Strategic Analysis of Energy Storage in California"
Rebecca Lee, powerpoint, "Energy Storage Activities at CPUC"
Janice Lin, powerpoint, "Policy Matters! Building a Market for Grid Storage in California"
mp3 recording