Bridging the Gap: How Emerging State Policies are Making Energy Storage More Affordable and Accessible

Energy storage will play a key role in the transition to renewable energy, and it’s important that its benefits are accessible to all. Underserved communities are historically the most negatively impacted by severe weather events associated with climate change and air pollution from fossil-fuel burning plants disproportionately located in these communities. Without affordable and accessible programs and policies, these communities will continue to face many barriers in adopting clean energy technologies such as energy storage.  

A recent report, jointly published by the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) and Sandia National Laboratories, highlights emerging strategies used by the leading states to advance energy storage adoption in underserved and low-income communities. While the challenges are daunting, early results from at least some of these programs show that positive results can be achieved when states adopt a focused and long-term commitment. Read the report here.

In this webinar, report authors Todd Olinsky-Paul (Senior Project Director, CESA) and Will McNamara (Energy Storage Policy Analyst, Sandia National Labs) will discuss the emerging practices and lessons learned from states. Elischia Fludd (Environmental Justice Senior Lead, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources) joins to discuss relevant provisions in Massachusetts programs. Additionally, Broderick Bagert (Organizer, Together New Orleans) joins to discuss the Community Lighthouse Project, an initiative that has created a network of resilient, solar-powered community resilience hubs for communities to access in the wake of hurricanes or other disasters.  

This webinar is a presentation of the Energy Storage Technology Advancement Partnership (ESTAP). ESTAP is a federal-state funding and information sharing project that aims to accelerate the deployment of electrical energy storage technologies in the U.S. ESTAP is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity, managed by Sandia National Laboratories, and administered by the Clean Energy States Alliance. 

Presenters (in order):

• Todd Olinsky-Paul, Senior Project Director, CESA/CEG
• Will McNamara, Energy Storage Policy Analyst, Sandia National Laboratories
• Elischia Fludd, Environmental Justice Senior Lead, MA DOER
• Broderick Bagert, Organizer at Together Louisiana, Community Lighthouse