In December 2018, the Union of Concerned Scientists convened a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss the equitable deployment of energy storage. The group—which included environmental justice and grassroots organizations, policy experts, industry, labor, consumer advocates, faith groups, and renewable energy advocates—collectively developed a set of consensus principles for equitable storage deployment.
The principles—which have been signed by 26 participating organizations—are intended to help state policymakers promote energy storage, address the needs of disadvantaged communities, and avoid inadvertent harm. The stakeholders grappled with the following questions:
How can storage be deployed to reduce emissions and improve air quality?
How can storage make communities and residents more resilient to disasters and power outages?
How can storage promote local economic development and job growth?
How can storage help accelerate greater levels of renewable energy on the grid?
How can storage help reduce electricity bills?
How can policymakers ensure that communities have a seat at the table?
Download the consensus principles >
En español: Principios para un diseño equitativo de políticas públicas sobre almacenamiento de energía
The Union of Concerned Scientists convened a group of diverse stakeholders, including environmental justice and grassroots organizations, policy experts, industry, labor, consumer advocates, faith groups, and renewable energy advocates, in December 2018 in Chicago, Illinois, focused on the equitable deployment of energy storage. Energy storage is poised to expand dramatically, transforming the way we produce and use electricity. It is critical that this expansion and the transition to a clean energy economy address the needs of vulnerable residents of disadvantaged neighborhoods and frontline communities without inadvertently causing harm.
The participants developed a set of consensus principles for storage deployment that elevate the critical importance of community-led clean energy solutions. Together, these principles can help state policymakers focus on solutions that ensure that the growth of energy storage improves all communities, including environmental justice communities, communities of color, low income residents, tribal communities, and historically disadvantaged communities. Importantly, these principles are not meant to constrain organizations taking stronger positions on particular policies, regulatory proceedings, or project proposals.
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