Utility-Scale Storage: Determining the Best Investment Strategy for Utilities -- A Smart Grid Today Webinar

Smart Grid Today presents "Utility-Scale Storage: Determining the Best Investment Strategy for Utilities" webinar with Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Strategic Program Manager Haresh Kamath, Duke Energy Senior Project Manager Melanie Miller, Customized Energy Solutions Vice President of Emerging Technologies Rahul Walawalkar and Smart Grid Today Editor Dan Richman ...

Rockville, MD (PRWEB) July 23, 2011

"Energy storage" is a phrase the electric utility industry is using more frequently these days, in part because of the increased use of renewable energy such as wind and solar.

As variable generation technologies proliferate, often in response to state renewable standards, effective storage becomes even more urgent.

Utility-scale energy storage lets companies generate meaningful amounts of power when it is cheapest to produce and then use it as needed. Proponents predict storage can help utilities boost efficiency and reliability -- and reduce costs.

But questions about energy storage abound such as whether it is more affordable yet than adding backup generation. Should utilities even consider storing energy? What is the best method for storing it? And who will ultimately pay for the technology?

Get answers to these questions and more from Smart Grid Today's webinar, "Utility-Scale Storage: Determining the Best Investment Strategy for Utilities" on Thursday, Aug 4, 2011 or on the multi-media recording that will be available after the event. For details, please visit http://www.smartgridtoday.com/energystorage-pr.

Listen as this panel of industry experts provides the latest thinking on energy storage:

•      Haresh Kamath, strategic program manager, EPRI
•      Melanie Miller, senior project manager, Duke Energy
•      Rahul Walawalkar, vice president of emerging technologies, Customized Energy Solutions
•      Dan Richman (moderator), editor, Smart Grid Today

Renewable portfolio standards are getting tougher every year so it makes sense that vertically integrated utilities are considering energy storage as a better way to use renewables and cut peak-generation costs. It could very well prove to be one of the most effective strategies for reducing demand on the system and lowering stress on the grid.

Today, few grid-integrated energy-storage facilities are operating. But that is about to change, as projects funded by Smart Grid Regional Development money from DOE in 2009 are already starting to function. Even more will be online by next year.

Find out about the different types of energy-storage options available, including pumped hydro, batteries, flywheels and compressed-air, and get the pros and cons of each. At the end of this session, you will come away with a complete picture of the options available, their associated costs and the benefits to utilities that will help you make decisions about the best course of action going forward.

Does an investment in energy storage make sense for utilities? Many experts believe it is too costly and that the ROI is difficult to determine. Others believe its time has come.

Here are some of the questions we plan to cover during this in-depth, 90-minute webinar:

•      What are the costs, benefits and challenges of energy storage?
•      Does it make sense for utilities to invest in energy storage?
•      What are the various levels of investment and which ones should you consider?
•      What are the options for utilities without their own generation?
•      How will storage, perhaps at the neighborhood level, help mitigate outages and maintain frequency?
•      What are the options to pay for storage?
•      What are the competing technologies to consider?
•      What is the right business case for energy storage?
•      Where will the value of energy storage on the grid present itself?
•      How will consumers benefit from energy storage?

Details about Smart Grid Today's “Utility-Scale Storage: Determining the Best Investment Strategy for Utilities” webinar is available at http://www.smartgridtoday.com/energystorage-pr or by calling +1-301-769-6804 (888-471-4447 toll-free in US & Canada).

About Smart Grid Today: The worldwide daily journal of the modern utility industry is published 24x times a year by Modern Markets Intelligence, Inc. The newsletter began publishing in April 2009.

For more information, contact Season Crawford, VP of Marketing and Associate Publisher, season(at)mminews(dot)com, +1-301-769-6903 x102.

Modern Markets Intelligence Inc., MMI Inc. publishes independent trade news for the evolving energy industry of the 21st century. It is located in Rockville, MD and was founded by Sam Spencer in 2009 after having created and published many trade news publications over the last three decades.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2011/7/prweb8661724.htm