Regulation, Policy,
and Valuation

Evaluating storage technologies to
benefit the energy industry and consumers

PNNL works as a trusted broker in assessing barriers and opportunities for energy storage assets to bolster the electric grid. Our expertise includes evaluating life-cycle costs and performance, optimal sizing and siting of energy storage systems, and modeling operational strategies and performance.

We are nationally recognized for state-of-the-art energy storage analytical tools and valuation methods that have been adopted and deployed widely. For example, our Battery Storage Evaluation Tool simulates one year of battery storage operations to evaluate the benefits to the power grid. Another, the Virtual Battery Assessment Tool, assesses virtual battery potential from residential, thermostatically controlled building loads at different geographical levels—county, state, census region, and nationwide.

Photo shows an energy storage system inside of the Systems Engineering Building at PNNL — Energy storage systems, such as this one located on the PNNL campus, are informing new methods to optimize the use of batteries and subsequently reduce energy consumption, building costs, and grid stress.

Our research

PNNL’s research in energy storage regulation, policy, and valuation spans batteries, hydrogen, pumped-storage hydropower, microgrids, and more. Our energy storage experts perform research that includes, but is not limited to:

Providing integrated performance analysis and economic valuation of storage assets to drive design decisions and full utilization of storage assets.

Identifying barriers that affect equitable treatment of energy storage systems and offering tools and analysis to relevant jurisdictions on regulatory and investment strategies to respond to those challenges.

Identifying new applications for storage, including storage as a transmission asset, for resilience, as a buffer for electric vehicle charging, and as an equity asset.

Providing regulatory technical assistance to state utility commissions and utilities in regulatory environments.

Identifying energy storage needs for future grid scenarios and the policies that will enable deployment in specific jurisdictions.

Assessing storage system costs and performance.

Offering new modalities for storage, including as core infrastructure.

Key partnerships

In partnership with federal and state agencies across the country, PNNL is working to address areas of uncertainty regarding innovative technology and regulation. Since 2018, we have collaborated with utility commissions and energy offices in 21 states. We hold key partnerships with industry organizations such as the Energy Storage Association, the National Hydropower Association, the Electric Power Research Institute, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and many more.

PNNL is also partnering with utilities to assess the technical and economic benefits of energy storage demonstration projects, including Washington State Clean Energy Fund projects at Puget Sound Energy, Snohomish Public Utility District, Avista, and Orcas Power and Light. We are also assessing Washington State’s first solar power and battery storage project, led by Energy Northwest.

Additionally, critical to regulation, policy, and valuation efforts is collaboration with independent power producers, storage developers, codes and standards organizations, and national laboratory partners. From research and development to deployment and policy, we are working to help deliver effective and affordable energy storage technologies to support a sustainable energy future for America.