February 28, 2020
CEO Kelly Speakes-Backman’s Statement on the Senate Energy Package
“ESA applauds Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Chair Murkowski and Ranking Member Manchin for including provisions such as the Better Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Act, which advances energy storage investments in the American Energy Innovation Act (AEIA). Energy storage is a fundamental building block to establish a more resilient, efficient, sustainable, and affordable grid, and the AEIA recognizes this by elevating energy storage to a major priority among the Department of Energy’s (DOE) research and development objectives. DOE Secretary Brouillette has committed to developing energy storage technologies to increase the use of renewable energy, as evidenced by the recently launched DOE Energy Storage Grand Challenge.
“The BEST Act takes a promising step toward accelerating the widespread adoption of all types of energy storage technologies by a broad set of users, assisting electric grid operators to deliver infrastructure capabilities that meet 21st century demands. However, in order to realize a modernized, clean grid, it is critical that the Senate take immediate action to provide commensurate incentives for energy storage, as it has with other clean energy technologies. Enacting a standalone energy storage tax credit would benefit all stakeholders. ESA looks forward to working with the Senate to see successful passage of these storage innovation provisions.”
