The House State Affairs Committee heard several forward-looking bills that would would facilitate the roll out of battery energy storage systems and home backup power in Texas.
Two bills would create requirements for battery energy storage systems (sometimes abbreviated BESS) which are large batteries that can be charged when excess power is available and discharged when demand is high.
Battery storage is often paired with solar and renewable generation so that energy from those sources can be stored when it is plentiful and then released onto the grid when it is needed. Battery storage helps smooth out the variations wind and solar energy experience in generation when the windspeed changes or the sun goes down at night. Pairing renewables with battery storage makes renewable energy a reliable, continuous source of electricity for utility scale. With no moving parts, no time to come online, and no fuel to source, battery storage is highly dispatchable, the standard Texas legislators look for when evaluating generation sources.
Some lawmakers have expressed misunderstanding about the way battery storage functions on the grid. Senator Phil King told the Senate Business and Commerce Committee that batteries were removed from the definition of dispatchable generation in the committee substitute for SB 388 because of questions about how to count them against other dispatchables like natural gas thermal generation.
Battery storage systems have proliferated in Texas in recent years, but as a relatively recent addition to the electrical grid, the regulatory environment is still developing. Discussion from lawmakers and renewable energy advocates alike indicate that there is both recognition of the value of battery storage to grid stability and a desire to ensure its continued development is done safely and sustainably.
HB 3809 by Rep. Drew Darby would require operators to restore a battery storage site to its original condition once the BESS system is no longer viable. This would include removing roads, foundations, and other equipment and would also require operators to recycle or reuse components when possible
HB 3824 by Rep. Ken King would create safety regulations for battery storage systems, especially around fire suppression and emergency planning. The bill calls for things like training of fire departments in the vicinity of battery storage systems. Testimony offered on the bill acknowledged the important and growing role battery storage plays in managing grid demand but acknowledged the need for consistent statewide safety standards.
The third bill laid out in House State Affairs Tuesday afternoon was related to home backup power systems. Backup power systems are systems installed on a single home or business that allows for continuous access to electricity in the event of a service interruption in utility electrical power. In the past, backup power systems were almost always generators powered by fossil fuels like diesel. More recently, solar paired with battery storage is used for backup power systems. There are multiple benefits to this transition.
Backup power systems which use solar and battery storage can be used to generate power for a house or business year-round, not just during an emergency like a diesel generator. This means every homeowner who installs backup power can help reduce demand on the grid on a day-to-day basis. Relying on many small generators, located close to the place where the power is needed, reduces transmission costs and eases recovery after a storm damages electrical infrastructure.
HB 3493 by Rep. Ken King would provide statewide guidelines and requirements based on the National Electric Code for home residential backup power systems. Public witnesses largely supported the bill, testifying that uniform standards would remove barriers to expanding backup power across the state.