Specifications include, but are not limited to: The purpose of this solicitation is to fund applied research and development and technology demonstration and deployment projects that will advance short- to long-duration stationary energy storage technologies. The development and advancement of these technologies is critical to establish a robust portfolio of energy storage that enables a more nimble grid to maintain reliability and accelerate the deployment of renewables as California transitions to 100 percent clean energy. California is projected to need 52,000 MW of grid-connected energy storage capacity to reach the targets of Senate Bill (SB) 100, which requires that 100 percent of electricity retail sales and state electricity needs be met with renewable and zero-carbon resources by 2045. The need for long-duration energy storage (LDES), in particular, has also increased due to climate change, increasing use of renewables, and growing electric load. To date, stationary commercial lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have been successfully deployed for intra-day (<4 hour) peak-load shifting, firming of solar and wind generation, and other grid services. Li-ion technology faces several challenges, however, including high costs, supply chain limitations, scarcity of critical materials, flammability risks, and degradation over many charge and discharge cycles. As research addressing these issues could help to promote significantly stronger outcomes for stationary energy storage applications, stationary storage will be focus of this solicitation. Further development of non-lithium battery technology is also needed to decrease potential supply chain risks, improve safety, and lower the cost of short- and long-duration energy storage.
