Energy Storage at Utility Scale: California Goes All-in Artwork

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Law, Policy & Markets: Milbank Conversations explores key business and legal trends in today's evolving global economy. With candor and a sophisticated understanding of the issues, host Allan Marks and other Milbank partners and guests delve into diverse topics, such as ESG and sustainability, cybersecurity, airlines and aviation, biopharma, global capital markets, climate change and the energy transition, cross-border workouts, private equity, cutting-edge litigation, enforcement policies in securities and antitrust, and values-based innovation in the legal profession. Discover what’s happening, what it means, and what’s next. More details at Milbank.com. Follow us on social media and podcast platforms, including Apple, Spotify, Google and Audible.

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Law, Policy & Markets

Energy Storage at Utility Scale: California Goes All-in

January 19, 2024 • Milbank • Season 5 • Episode 1

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The push for cleaner energy has led to greater reliance on intermittent renewable energy resources, particularly solar and wind energy. To integrate these resources into a more efficient and reliable “smart grid” requires new investment in energy storage. What are the best ways to provide resource adequacy and to bridge the gaps between when (and where) power is generated and when (and where) it is needed? California is leading the way with massive new investments in innovative energy storage projects. Developers and utilities are experimenting to optimize battery locations, improve project economics, reduce transmission constraints, and meet variable load requirements. Regulators in California, Texas and elsewhere are taking divergent market design paths with an eye on reliability, efficiency, and affordability, especially as demand patterns and storage technologies evolve.

In this episode, "Energy Storage at Utility Scale: California Goes All-in," host Allan Marks and four leading energy executives discuss the trajectory of California’s energy storage market. The discussion includes Emad Alaydi (a professional engineer and Senior Director at Calpine), Karin Burns (Chief Executive Officer of San Diego Community Power), Howard Chang (President and Chief Operating Officer of Ava Community Energy), and Cathleen Colbert (Senior Director, Western Markets Policy Regulatory Affairs for Vistra Corp.) and was recorded before a live audience in Los Angeles at Voltility’s US Energy Storage Market Outlook 2024, hosted by Milbank LLP.

Emad Alaydi is a Senior Director at Calpine Corp, America’s largest generator of electricity from natural gas and geothermal resources.

Karin Burns is Chief Executive Officer at San Diego Community Power, the second largest Community Choice Aggregate (CCA) program in the state of California.

Howard Chang is Chief Operating Officer of Ava Community Energy, a not-for-profit public agency serves the cities of Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, Tracy, and Union City.

Cathleen Colbert is a Director at Vistra Corp., a Fortune 500 competitive retail electricity provider serving nearly five million customers.

Podcast host Allan Marks is one of the world's leading project finance lawyers. He advises developers, investors, lenders, and underwriters around the world in the development and financing of complex energy and infrastructure projects, as well as related acquisitions, restructurings and capital markets transactions. Many of his transactions relate to ESG and sustainability, innovative clean technologies, and sophisticated contractual risk allocation. Allan serves as an Adjunct

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