While Thermal storage cooling has not typically been seen as a form of Electric Energy Storage since it does not store electrons though neither does pumped hydro or compressed air, however they are considered “electric storage”. Instead of storing potential energy (pumped hydro or compressed air) and then using it to make electrons, TES uses the plentiful and inexpensive, off-peak electrons, to very efficiently create and store “cooling”, in the form of ice or chilled water, the night before it is needed. The difference is simply when and in what form you are storing the energy. Granted you can’t run a motor with TES, however, those very large motors use for air-conditioning will no longer need those electrons during the day. Essentially you have simply committed the electrons for a designated purpose.

The combination of thermal storage and the other types of electric storage technologies in this Storage Bill address the realities of our electric grid and customer requirements for clean consistent power.

Without a secondary market for batteries, “battery leasing” is really just “battery financing”, and doesn’t have the same benefit to consumers.

(obviously the Better Place model enables battery leasing, because they effectively create their own secondary market, but that approach has other hurdles for manufacturers of EVs)