Evaluating economics of energy storage under growing renewable penetration scenarios

With the implementation of state renewables portfolio standards (RPS) and serious consideration in Congress of a national RPS, a number of control areas are anticipating scenarios with greater than 20% of renewable electricity, principally wind, as part of the supply mix. At the federal level, H.R. 969 was introduced in the 110^th Congress to require that 20% of the nation´s electric power be generated by renewable energy sources. A 25% national renewables portfolio standard is being debated in the current Congress. Wind energy is the one of the most economical renewable permitted by many of these standards, and its integration at large scale has been widely researched.