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March Discussion
New Discussion
By Faith Martinez Smith
Policy Analyst, ClearPath
"Grid-scale energy storage is critical for decarbonizing our economy and merits high-profile attention from our policy makers. Storage is technology agnostic it can be used with any generation technology, provides ancillary services, and can reduce demand charges.... Thus far, the storage sector has not received the policy or financial support needed for rapid grid-scale deployment.... This is why it is encouraging to see that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced the Energy Storage Grand Challenge , which is meant to turbocharge energy storage technology development.... 

The challenge follows a firm pathway forged by other “moonshot” initiatives to drive down costs and improve technology development. We at ClearPath believe the challenge will help drive grid scale-storage technologies to market as we seek to decarbonize our economy starting with the electric power sector...." Read more.
Please respond to the discussion questions by adding your comment to one of the linked comment threads below:
  • Question 1: What technologies do you think the Energy Storage Grand Challenge should focus on?
  • Question 2: What are the current barriers to deployment that the grand challenge should address? 
  • Question 3: What policy changes would most support the deployment and adoption of new storage technologies?
New Publications in the OurEnergyLibrary
Resources for the Future
March 2, 2020
World Resources Institute
January 31, 2020
Find these new publications and others in the OurEnergyLibrary.
Podcast Spotlight


This podcast from Political Climate discusses the results of Super Tuesday and what they mean for climate and energy issues and the sweeping Senate energy bill that could come to a vote any day now.

In the second half of the show (starting around the 26-minute mark), they consider how to pick the best policies for decarbonizing the U.S. economy in a discussion with experts from the think tank Energy Innovation.
Update from Congress

Legislation Update

New Legislation
  • Thurs, March 5 -
  • Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) introduced the Oil and Water Don't Mix Act (H.R. 6112) to require operators of oil and gas production facilities to take certain measures to protect drinking water.
  • Rep. Conor Lamb (D-PA-17) introduced a bill to provide for a program of nuclear energy research, development, demonstration, and commercialization (H.R. 6097).
  • Rep. John Katko (R-NY-24) introduced a bill to establish an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Water (H.R. 6113).
  • Wed, March 4 - Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01) introduced the Water Power Research and Development Act (H.R. 6084) to strengthen water power programs at the U.S. Department of Energy, reauthorize funding for existing programs, and authorize funding for existing and new national marine energy centers.

Hearings
Source: Energy Information Administration , Electric Power Monthly and " Today in Energy ," February 26, 2020.

Total installed wind capacity surpassed total installed hydroelectric capacity in 2016 , but the electricity generation of hydropower was still greater than that of wind power due to differences in capacity factor the ratio of the electrical energy produced by a generating unit for a specified period of time to the electrical energy that could have been produced at continuous full power operation during the same period.

In 2019, wind generation surpassed hydroelectric generation. As of the end of 2019, the United States had 103 gigawatts (GW) of wind capacity, nearly all of which (77%) were installed in the past decade. The United States has 80 GW of hydroelectric capacity, most of which has been operating for several decades. Only 2 GW of hydroelectric capacity has been added in the past decade, and some of those additions involved converting previously nonpowered dams .
Featured Events
Washington, D.C.
  • When: Wed, March 11, 10 a.m.
  • Where: 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building

  • When: Wed, March 18, 2-3:30 p.m.
  • Where: 2168 Rayburn House Office Building and live webcast
To see more upcoming energy events across the country, visit the OEP Events Calendar .
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