Energy storage is seen as a critical technology to achieve a clean energy future. Many state policies require development of energy storage, which can be placed nearly anywhere in the electric system and nearly any scale. With so much public investment, how can energy storage be deployed for greater social outcomes? A recent program called Energy Storage for Social Equity issued a call to communities to define how storage can support their goals for resilience, affordability, wealth-building, reliability, energy independence, and other objectives. Fourteen communities across the country were selected to develop their concepts for energy storage into a buildable plan.

This panel convenes the program administrator and engaged communities to talk about what communities envision as their energy futures, and what they need from technologies and public investment to build social value into future infrastructure development.