Nine Finalists Vie for Energy Storage Innovation Awards

Intelligent energy storage is emerging as a commercially-viable alternative to adding electricity generation capacity or constructing new power plants.

Equipped with energy management software that's responsive to electricity demand and supply conditions, smart energy storage systems are also cropping up among commercial and industrial companies, municipalities and college campuses, helping boost energy efficiency, renewable energy-grid interconnections and reduce utility bills, as well as strains on the power grid.

Heightened interest and investment in intelligent energy storage is prompting industry participants to band together in more organized fashion. Bringing together energy storage policy, technology and market leaders, Energy Storage North America (ESNA) on August 18 announced finalists for its annual 2014 Innovation Award.

“This year’s ESNA Award finalists represent a rich diversity of players and business models in rapidly developing energy storage ecosystems across the U.S. and Canada,” Janice Lin, managing partner of Strategen Consulting and co-founder of the California Energy Storage Alliance, was quoted in a news release. “Energy storage as an asset class is a welcome addition to electric system planning toolkits in California, Hawaii, New York, Ontario and other markets.

Recognizing excellence in energy storage innovation

Nine project developers were chosen as representatives of excellence in installed energy storage projects spanning utility-scale, customer-sited commercial, industrial or residential, and mobility – electric vehicle (EV) and supporting infrastructure. “The strength of this year’s nominees demonstrates that we are past the early technology tipping point and moving toward the mainstream,” Lin commented.

Market-driven criteria and the ability to advance progress in the development and commercialization of energy storage systems served as the basis for selecting ESNA Innovation Award finalists.

“The 2014 Award criteria align with the most critical aspects of market development for energy storage, such as safety, reliability, and security, which are also reflected in the event’s programming this year,” said Jeff Gates, ESNA Advisory Board member and managing director of Duke Energy.

Following is the list of ESNA 2014 Innovation Award finalists. More complete descriptions are available at the ESNA awards website.

• Utility-scale: 2500 R Midtown (Sacramento, California); Abengoa Solana CSP Plant (Gila Bend, Arizona); and SCE Tehachapi Wind Energy Storage Project (Tehachapi, California).


• Customer-sited: EaglePicher PowerPyramid BESS (Promontory, Utah); Green Charge Networks GreenStation 2.0 (various locations, California); and UC San Diego/BMW 2nd Life EV Energy Storage System (San Diego, California).


• Mobility: Benecia City Hall Solar EV Fast Charger with Storage (Benecia, California); Powertree San Francisco One (San Francisco, California); and SEPTA Energy Optimization Project (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).

ESNA this year is also introducing an ESNA Champion Award to honor “an individual who has shown leadership and dedication in the advancement of energy storage in North America.

ESNA is turning to social media to help choose this year's ESNA Innovation Award winners. Public votes via Twitter (which must include the #ESNAAwards2014 hashtag) or the ESNA awards website will account for 50 percent of the final results, with the ESNA Advisory Board making up the other half.

The winners of this year's ESNA awards will be announced at the Energy Storage North America conference and exhibition, which is to take place at the San Jose Convention Center Sept. 30-Oct. 2.

*Image credits: 1) EaglePicher PowerPyramid BESS; 2) 2500 R Midtown, Sacramento, CA