Congressman Pat Harrigan Co-Leads Legislation to Strengthen Energy Storage Safety
Contact: Lexi Kranich (814) 380-4408
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressman Pat Harrigan (NC-10) joined Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) in co-leading the Better Energy Storage and Safety Act, legislation amending the Energy Act of 2020 to expand federal research, testing, and demonstration programs focused on the safety of energy storage systems, including addressing fire risks, thermal runaway, and long-term system failures.
"Energy storage is a critical piece of America's energy future, and we have to make sure we are building it on a foundation that is safe and reliable. These systems are going into homes, onto the grid, and into communities across the country, and right now our testing and safety standards have not kept pace with how fast the technology is moving. This bill closes that gap, puts the right agencies to work on the hard problems, and makes sure we are stress-testing these systems before failures happen in the field, not after," said Congressman Harrigan.
“As we continue to move towards renewable energy, we must ensure that the corresponding and critical technology is safe and secure,” said Congressman Panetta. “Although state-level public utility commissions have the authority and are responsible for ensuring safe and reliable energy service, my bipartisan bill would allow the federal government to make necessary improvements for the research, development, and testing of critical battery storage and clean energy systems. As we strive to reduce our carbon output with clean energy facilities, including battery storage, I believe the federal government has a role to play to ensure the safety and protection of our environment and communities.”
The legislation directs the Department of Energy, in coordination with National Laboratories, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the United States Fire Administration, to develop standardized testing and evaluation methodologies for operational energy storage systems, with a focus on failure modes including thermal runaway, fire, and explosion risks. The bill also expands the number of energy storage demonstration projects from three to five, adds new safety-focused pilot grant objectives, and authorizes $30 million per year from 2027 through 2031 for energy storage safety programs.
The Energy Storage Safety Research and Development Act will now be referred to the relevant committees for consideration. Congressman Harrigan will continue working to expand American energy production and ensure the technologies powering our grid are safe for the communities that depend on them.