Does Energy Storage Fit in an RPS?

This is an updated version of a report originally published in 2014. This paper explores the question of how states, which have taken the lead in promoting clean energy through Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), could facilitate increased deployment of energy storage.

States may be interested in storage for numerous reasons, including a desire to increase the value of renewable energy, address “duck curve” ramping and integration issues, provide resilient power to critical infrastructure, increase the reliability of electrical grids, or support grid modernization efforts. Although there are several ways states could do this, the 29 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico that already have an RPS in place may think that including storage as an eligible resource in their RPS is a good idea. But is it a good fit for an RPS? This paper attempts to stimulate thinking by posing a series of questions that policymakers and regulators should consider.