The Energy Storage Association's members have officially approved a merger with the American Clean Power Association, with ESA to become part of the latter group on Jan. 1.

ESA and ACP announced their intent to merge in July, pending final approval by ESA members. ESA recently announced its members had granted that approval.

"ESA's membership has approved a merger with the American Clean Power Association, starting a powerful new chapter for energy storage," ESA Interim CEO Jason Burwen said in a statement. "The U.S. energy storage industry has passed an inflection point in its growth."

ACP was formed from the now-defunct $25 million-revenue American Wind Energy Association to represent all aspects of the renewable energy sector. Energy storage is critical for the widespread adoption of wind and solar energy as neither produces electricity consistently, unlike fossil fuel and nuclear power plants.

Ahead of the merger, ACP will establish a Storage Council that will guide the strategic priorities of ACP's energy storage work, the associations said in a joint statement. ACP and ESA will also work jointly to advocate enactment by Congress of the storage investment tax credit this year as a top priority.

"The merger will help deliver more value for our members and build a best-in-class trade association that is nimble, effective and able to represent all clean energy industries with a unified voice on some of our top priorities including the investment tax credit for storage projects," ACP CEO Heather Zichal said.

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