StoragePAC is ESA’s Political Action Committee to enhance the U.S. energy storage industry’s state and federal legislative engagement in pursuit of its mission: to accelerate the widespread use of competitive and reliable energy storage systems in North America. By supporting StoragePAC, ESA members can strengthen our industry’s ability to elevate our concerns with our elected officials.
Why does ESA need StoragePAC?
StoragePAC enables ESA to participate more directly in the political process. Trade associations like ESA cannot use general funds to contribute to candidates for federal or state elections. StoragePAC can use the personal, non-corporate funds contributed by individuals of member companies to make political contributions to candidates. StoragePAC is a registered 501(c)6 PAC and operates in conformity with Federal Elections Commission regulations and relevant state laws.
Who can contribute to StoragePAC?
Before soliciting contributions, an authorized representative of your company must fill out a Prior Approval Form. Filling out this form allows StoragePAC to solicit managers and executives of your company for personal contributions. Completing the authorization form does not obligate you in any way to support or contribute to StoragePAC.
What is the maximum an individual can contribute to StoragePAC?
An individual or company PAC can contribute up to $5,000 per calendar year.
How does StoragePAC operate?
StoragePAC is run by its Treasurer, ESA’s CEO Kelly Speakes-Backman, with activities informed by the advice and consent of its Advisory Board under the supervision of ESA’s Board of Directors. The Advisory Board consists of ESA staff and ESA Board members who are selected from among ESA’s Board of Directors.
Read the StoragePAC bylaws here >>
How does StoragePAC decide whom to support?
The PAC will disburse funds consistent with ESA’s core principles:
- Energy storage serves as a central catalyst for modernizing and creating a more reliable and resilient, efficient, sustainable, and affordable grid.
- There should be open and fair competition among all market participants – including third-party suppliers and utilities, on the grid and behind-the-meter, to deploy high-quality, cost-effective energy storage projects that benefit consumers. This requires fair access to data and interconnection for all participants to facilitate an equal playing field for competition.
- The full value provided by energy storage should be recognized in markets and regulatory constructs, and barriers to the integration of energy storage should be removed at the transmission, distribution, and consumer level.
In determining whether contributions shall be made from StoragePAC funds to a particular candidate, we take the following factors into account:
- The candidate’s current position, voting record, and past leadership on issues important to the energy storage industry;
- The candidate’s experience and influence in the policy-making process, including whether the candidate holds a leadership position or is likely to hold such a position in the future; and
- Support for the candidate by one or more of ESA’s member companies.
StoragePAC will make contributions to members of both parties, with the intention of maintaining an approximate balance in contributions over time.
