Nevada became the sixth state to adopt an energy storage procurement goal on March 12. The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) adopted a regulation in Order No. 44671 that establishes biennial energy storage procurement goals of 100 MW by December 31, 2020, and increasing to 1 GW by 2030. The new regulation is consistent with a 2018 Brattle Group study commissioned by the PUCN that determined a 1 GW level of deployment by 2030 would be cost-effective for Nevada. Nevada utilities will now have to include a plan to meet the biennial storage targets as part of their integrated resource plans and submit progress reports to the PUCN starting in 2022. NV Energy is already on track to meet those targets with the utility’s plans to bring nearly 1.2 GW of new solar energy projects to Nevada and an additional 590 MW of energy storage capacity by 2024.
Just a few weeks later, on April 12, Governor Ralph Northam signed the Virginia Clean Economy Act (the Act), which requires Virginia utilities to generate electricity from 100% renewable energy sources by 2045. In furtherance of Virginia’s goal for a carbon-free electric grid by mid-century, the Act sets an ambitious 2.7 GW deployment target for energy storage by 2035. The Act directs the Virginia State Corporation Commission to approve new energy storage projects up to the 2.7 GW capacity target, provided that 35% of the energy storage capacity procured by utilities comes from energy storage facilities owned by nonutility parties.
Procurement targets and mandates for energy storage are emerging rapidly across the country. The current state goals are summarized on our energy storage tracker. Please follow our blog for the latest developments on actions states are taking to deploy energy storage within their borders.