The Energy Storage Association (ESA) is the forum for energy storage stakeholder engagement, and has been an active and tireless proponent for the advancement of the energy storage industry for the last 25 years. 

And what a change those years have brought.  

From humble beginnings, when eight pioneering U.S. power utilities sent their executives to Washington to convene the first dedicated and influential gathering to discuss energy storage as a critical component of the energy grid. To today, where ESA has grown to over 130 members, and in addition to executing year-round education, policy activities and networking opportunities, we host the world’s largest and most impactful energy storage event with hundreds of attendees, speakers, and exhibitors.

In 2015, we are excited to announce that we will be convening the energy industry in Texas for our 25th Annual Conference, to discuss the state of the energy storage industry and the path forward for continued success and growth.  Our Annual Conference is the most in-depth and comprehensive educational opportunity available for the industry, and the premiere networking and business development event on the calendar.  

This year, we are very excited to be working closely with our Host Utility, Oncor, to take advantage of everything that Dallas has to offer.  We are again developing a comprehensive program of keynote speakers, storage experts, and market influencers, and will be providing attendees a deep understanding of energy storage technology, policy and markets. 

«Storage is the best opportunity to have the most significant, and positive, impact on improving service to customers, but the only way we can make it a reality is to share information among peers,» said Don Clevenger, Oncor SVP of Strategic Planning. «Oncor is very excited to invite the global energy industry to join us in Dallas next year to learn more about the future of energy storage, and see how we are making storage a core facet of our long-term planning.”

Texas is an emerging market for energy storage on multiple fronts.  The Public Utility Commission of Texas is currently overhauling the way it procures ancillary services like frequency regulation and load following, and already has a number of programs and incentives in place to encourage development of storage projects.  

With over 14GW of wind energy currently deployed, and 7GW on the way – the way energy is generated and delivered in Texas is evolving.  ESA has been and will continue to be an active participant in the state’s stakeholder process, and by bringing the global industry to Texas in 2015 we hope to continue to propel these markets forward.

This year, the Annual Conference’s Honorary Chair will be David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University and former Under Secretary (Acting) and Assistant Secretary for Policy International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy.  David brings a global perspective to energy challenges and will assist in developing the conference program and proceedings.

“There has never been a more exciting time in energy storage,” said Sandalow.  “Costs are falling.  Demand is rising.  And dynamic businesses that understand the market and regulatory environment are poised for dramatic growth.” 

As a global industry, storage is crossing the Rubicon. We are seeing systems go into operation in the U.S. and around the world that are producing a tangible track record of success – in fact, the largest battery project in the U.S. was just unveiled yesterday by Southern California Edison and their partners LG Chem and ABB. 

These energy storage systems – more than 900 worldwide — are demonstrating to grid operators, utilities, investors and customers that energy storage is helping to create a more resilient and responsive grid.   

And the location of these systems around the world is no mystery; markets are born at the intersection of policy, technology and opportunity – and our Annual Conference provides the most in-depth education and knowledgebase in all three areas, with experts from all facets of energy working with global leaders to chart the path forward storage.

The ESA’s 25th Annual Conference provides attendees a unique opportunity to gain a complete understanding of the key drivers for energy storage and what conditions are shaping markets, to network with the senior leaders in the energy industry, and to create opportunity to be part of shaping the future of the energy storage industry.

More news and announcements regarding this pivotal event will be coming soon.  For now, you can find learn more at Annual-Conference.EnergyStorage.org.