Battery + Storage Podcast
Podcast Episodes
SEASON FIVE
- Listen to Episode 39: Powering Anything, Anywhere With Alex Livingston, Joule Case
- Listen to Episode 38: Flexible Real Estate Financing Solutions for Storage Projects With Laura Pagliarulo, SolaREIT
- Listen to Episode 37: Building Out Energy Storage Facilities Across the US With Jason Burwen, GridStor
- Listen to Episode 36: Perfecting High-Performance Battery Chemistry With John Kem, American Battery Factory
- Listen to Episode 35: Overcoming Energy Conversion Challenges With Jason Barmann, EPC Power Corp
- Listen to Episode 34: Decoding Battery Analytics With Dr. Kai-Philipp Kairies, CEO of ACCURE Battery Intelligence
SEASON FOUR
- Listen to Episode 33: Advancing Eco-Friendly Battery Recycling With Storm Energia
- Listen to Episode 32: Analyzing the Impact of the IRA on Energy Storage
- Listen to Episode 31: Domesticating the Battery Supply Chain With ENTEK and KORE Power
- Listen to Episode 30: Pioneering the Future of EVs and Battery Testing With Don Wright, Unico
- Listen to Episode 29: Leading the Lead Revolution With the Consortium for Battery Innovation
- Listen to Episode 28: Financing Future Trends in Storage With George Koutsonicolis, SOLIC Capital
- Listen to Episode 27: Unleashing the Potential of 3D-Printed Battery Technology With Arwed Niestroj of Sakuu
- Listen to Episode 26: Nora Brownell: An In-Depth Conversation With the Former FERC Commissioner
- Listen to Episode 25: Meeting the Demands for Battery-Grade Lithium With Dr. Saad Dara of Mangrove Lithium
- Listen to Episode 24: The Balancing Act of Battery Chemistry With George Kuo, Canadian Solar
- Listen to Episode 23: The New Generation of Batteries With Kunal Phalpher, Li-Metal Corporation
- Listen to Episode 22: Think Zinc! The Energy Dense Alternative Replacing Lithium-Ion With Salient Energy Cofounder Ryan Brown
SEASON THREE
- Listen to Episode 21: The Intersectionality of Fermata Energy's Vehicle-to-Grid Technology With Founder and CEO David Slutzky
- Listen to Episode 20: Remaining Innovative in the Battery Storage Space With Electrovaya CEO Dr. Raj Dasgupta
- Listen to Episode 19: EV Tech Series - The Inflation Reduction Act's Impact on the Energy Industry With Judy Kwok and Marc Machlin
- Listen to Episode 18: Electro-Extraction and the Future of E-Waste with Megan O'Connor, CEO and Co-founder of Nth Cycle
- Listen to Episode 17: EV Tech Series - IP Enforcement at the ITC and Federal Courts
- Listen to Episode 16: Anodes, Cathodes, and All Things Lithium-Ion With Guest Connor Hund, Director of Business Strategy and Operations for NanoGraf
- Listen to Episode 15: Interview with American Solar and Storage Guru Who Happens to Live in Shanghai: Andy Klump, CEO of Clean Energy Associates
- Listen to Episode 14: The Nexus of Transmission and Storage: A Conversation With American Transmission Company GC and Executive VP Bill Marsan
SEASON TWO
- Listen to Episode 13: How Battery Storage Is Reshaping the Energy Transition Ecosystem: An Interview With FlexGen CEO Kelcy Pegler
- Listen to Episode 12: Interview With Mikhail Nikomarov, Bushveld Energy Co-Founder and CEO
- Listen to Episode 11: Interview With Mike Niggli, Chairman of ESS, Inc.
- Listen to Episode 10: Interview With Freeman Hall, Co-Founder and President of B2U Storage Solutions
- Listen to Episode 9: Interview With Paulo Misk, CEO of Largo Resources
- Listen to Episode 8: Interview With Jeff Bishop, CEO of Key Capture Energy
- Listen to Episode 7: Virginia Energy Regulation Update
SEASON ONE
- Listen to Episode 6: Impacts of COVID-19 on Battery and Storage Project Deployment and Financing
- Listen to Episode 5: Q1 2020 Perspective for Batteries and Storage
- Listen to Episode 4: Interview With John Fernandes, Senior Consultant for Customized Energy Solutions
- Listen to Episode 3: Interview With Mathy Stanislaus, Interim Director of the Global Battery Alliance
- Listen to Episode 2: Interview With Mike Hopkins, CEO of Bakken Midstream, Lead Director of Plus Power, and Previously Long-time CEO of Ice Energy
- Listen to Episode 1: Interview With EEI Executive Vice President Hon. Phil Moeller
Overview
Only several years ago, Bill Gates blogged about the importance of entrepreneurship and continuing innovation in the storage space. [1] Noting that his own investments in battery technology required him to digest a significant amount of technical and scientific research, Gates succinctly states, "Here's the problem: Storing energy turns out to be surprisingly hard and expensive."
Today, Gates' observation is no longer accurate.
- The global battery market is expected to experience geometric growth, reaching $662 billion in 2025. Energy storage projects worldwide are predicted to increase exponentially (from 9GW/17GWh in 2018 to 1,095GW/2,850GWh by 2040) (according to BloombergNEF). The domestic battery market alone is estimated to eclipse $100 billion in that same time frame.
- Battery use cases are solidifying and at varying sizes and scales. Hardware and software integration between local and regional grids, behind-the-meter applications, and directly with renewable resource suppliers is revolutionizing capital deployment and changing assumptions about the externalities of power production. Grid-level batteries have enjoyed unprecedented market-penetration in the last several years, spurred by an 85% installed-cost reduction in $/kW for lithium-ion batteries (2010-2018)(Bloomberg). U.S. battery projects deployed in 2018 reached 311MW (777 MWh) ( Energy Storage Monitor; Energy Storage Association), however, these amounts are predicted to double in 2019 and again in 2020.
The Troutman Pepper Battery + Storage Podcast will provide listeners with expert perspectives from power industry veterans during this lightning-paced period of technological change in the sector. We will bring you real-time opinions provided by battery and storage thought-leaders, who are finding (unlike Mr. Gates' outdated observation) that the technology is surprisingly easier and cheaper to utilize than ever before.
Our podcast guests come from different electric industry, public sector and NGO vantage points -- but each one will provide insight into a common theme: How battery and storage technologies are fostering a revolutionary shift in power business operations and economics.
We hope to bring our listeners insight into this metamorphosis from the inside-out.
[1] https://www.gatesnotes.com/Energy/It-Is-Surprisingly-Hard-to-Store-Energy
Background and Representation Highlights
The firm's historic representation of electric industry clients, its project development and renewable energy expertise, has provided us with a springboard to understanding storage industry economic and technological precursors. We thus have experience working with early-adopter storage technology companies as the industry evolved. This early work has proven to be crucial to more recent representations as both grid-scale storage and distributed storage become more commonplace.
As early as 1999, the firm represented an affiliate generation technology company with regulatory and structuring issues associated with distributed generation (DG) facilities at the San Diego Naval Yard. This project entailed an early version of a microgrid adopted on the very same site in 2018.
The firm represented competitive suppliers in California's first Wholesale Distribution Access Tariff (WDAT) proceeding the tariff that ultimately gave rise to the proliferation of DERs, including storage. Later, in 2010, the firm supported development of Ice Energy's behind-the-meter Ice Bear storage system. Today the company is one of the most successful storage businesses in the U.S.
In 2014, the firm provided cutting-edge tax advice to a utility client regarding availability of the ITC credit for a solar facility that also would include a storage system.
As battery technology and demand-side management began to accelerate, the firm worked with transmission-only clients to examine whether this new technology could provide support as a non-generation resource, i.e., for vars, or for black-start, or as a substitute for capacitor banks. The firm counseled ATC LLC, a transmission-only company, regarding operation, ownership and investment in battery storage assets.
Beginning in 2015, the firm counseled and represented an early-mover in the grid-scale battery storage space. This Midwest integrated utility installed a 20 MW (flexible 40 MW) lithium-ion battery storage array in a major urban load center. The representation tackled issues of first impression regarding the use of MISO's Generator Interconnection Agreement (GIA) (see 155 FERC ¶ 61,211 (2016). Later, when FERC took up these issues on a generic basis, the firm assisted clients in preparing comments on FERC Order No. 842, its Final Rule on amendments to the pro forma GIA and the provision of Primary Frequency Response. FERC's Final Rule required specific accommodations for electric storage resources. (see 162 FERC ¶ 61,128 P 176 et seq. (2018).
The firm also represented this utility on a landmark complaint before FERC regarding the participation of storage resources within the MISO markets. While FERC directed changes to MISO's market rules to accommodate the participation of storage resources in MISO's markets (158 FERC ¶ 61,107 (2017) based on specific findings with respect to the MISO tariff and market rules, this complaint also laid the groundwork for FERC's Order No. 841, the Final Rule on Electric Storage Participation in Markets Operated by Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators, 162 FERC ¶ 61,127 (2018). Through this representation, the firm gained significant experience and expertise in the intersection of business, market, engineering and regulatory issues associated with grid-scale battery resources.
The combination of experience garnered through the representation of the transmission-only entities and an integrated utility has allowed the firm's energy practice to gain a unique perspective on the role grid-scale batteries can play with respect to the provision of ancillary services, energy, capacity and transmission services, and how those services can all play a role in the value stack.
As battery storage began to gain market penetration as a component of distribution networks, Troutman Sanders attorneys also represented solar-plus-storage developers and electric vehicle manufacturers in various state proceedings that developed storage incentives and mandates.
In 2019, our attorneys counseled clients navigating the flurry of state-level activity, including the initiatives surrounding New York's implementation of its sweeping Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), Massachusetts' rollout of the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART), and the District of Columbia's interest in utilizing microgrids with storage assets as a resiliency grid measure.
Our attorneys have played an integral part in advising clients on the legal frameworks that could enable new grid structures, including ownership and customer energy delivery models. The firm represents WGL Energy Services, Inc./WGL Energy Systems, Inc., regarding a proposed microgrid and real estate development at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
In the NY REV context, our attorneys represent energy storage developers seeking to fulfill Con Edison's large-scale storage mandate and the related developer operational regulatory requirements to participate as a capacity resource within the New York Independent System Operator.
Representative Matters
- Represented a purchaser in the acquisition of a 5 MW portfolio of distributed battery storage systems in California.
- Counseled a battery storage developer regarding the company’s real estate and project development matters for 20 MWs of battery storage.
- Advised a Fortune 500 energy company in an energy management relationship and a long-term power and hedging agreement for ancillary services.
- Represented a utility-scale battery storage manufacturer regarding battery supply, warranty, O&M and financing arrangements.
- Counseled a utility client on energy storage tax depreciation issues, including unique issues related to a combination of energy storage and solar photovoltaic technology.
- Represented an investor with respect to a $100 million portfolio of behind-the-meter battery storage systems in California.
- Advised an early-stage developer in 300 MWs of utility-scale battery storage projects being developed in response to utility RFPs.
- Represented a tax equity investor in a first-of-its-kind transaction involving tax equity financing for solar-plus-storage assets.
- Counseled a startup developer with an aggregate 5 MW portfolio of residential battery storage systems being bid into ISO capacity markets.
- Advised a supplier of solar photovoltaic systems and battery storage technology in a 25 MW portfolio of solar-plus-storage projects under PURPA contracts.
- Represented an independent power producer in the acquisition of more than 60 MWs of large utility-scale battery assets in the Southwest.