Policy and Outreach

Sandia Energy > Programs > Energy Storage > Policy and Outreach

The need for sound energy policies has become even more critical since the dawn of the 21^st century because the energy sector is in the midst of a technological revolution. Emerging technologies that support an increased use of distributed energy resources including energy storage, renewable energies, and energy efficiency are influencing the priorities of policymakers in the United States as the nation attempts to migrate to a modern electricity grid.

Policymakers are beginning to see the potential for energy storage to help achieve ambitious clean energy goals to address climate change, particularly in states that are adopting plans to achieve 100 percent renewables or carbon-free energy infrastructures within the coming decades. Grid operators, federal and state policymakers, utilities and other stakeholders are presently working together to create the right economic and market conditions to ensure that energy storage continues to play a significant role in the broader decarbonization efforts in the power sector.

Policy initiatives that impact the energy storage sector can emerge from legislative or regulatory bodies, or directly from the governors in individual states. The Sandia Policy & Outreach team engages directly with state and federal policymakers to obtain and share perspectives on best practices in energy storage policymaking. We do not advocate specific policies; in fact, we are prohibited from taking any positions on specific policy measures. Rather, our mission is to provide independent, objective, and neutral analysis on industry best practices, lessons learned from specific regulatory and legislative proceedings, and cross-state comparisons. By providing this information, we support regulators and legislators as they continue to define policy for the emerging energy storage sector.

The Department of Energy Office of Electricity (DOE OE) Global Energy Storage Database provides analysis of emerging policy specific to energy storage in the United States, both at the federal and state levels. The objective of this site is to provide current and comprehensive analysis of key policy initiatives that are defining the emerging marketplace for energy storage solutions.

In addition, the Sandia Policy & Outreach team conducts educational Energy Storage Webinars for state policymakers across the country. These workshops, free for all attendees and funded by the DOE Office of Electricity, help regulatory commissions and related institutions around the United States develop the expertise they need to more quickly and efficiently integrate energy storage into their regional operations.

Our workshops, custom-designed in close collaboration with regulatory commission staff, have already engaged regulators from over a dozen states with one- or two-day workshops on topics including energy storage technologies, performance, economics, valuation, interconnection, commissioning, safety, and policy. Presenters are national-scale experts from Sandia, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and other leading energy storage institutions from around the country.