new power source - energy storage companies

Douglas Ames wants revenge.
Four years ago, the energy storage company he founded closed down, and Ames accused Edison in Southern California of violating the agreement paid to him.
After the 40-year-old Ames was forced to close his Huntington Beach business, he signed up for a new career at Fullington Western State Law School's night school.
On last June, he passed the lawyer's exam, and on Tuesday, Ames won his first case: $6-
Against million sentences. .
Southern California Edison
"It took many, many years for the day," Ames said cheerfully outside the courtroom.
"I want to hold my destiny in my own hands.
There's a lot of personal defense here.
The ames lawsuit filed in the Orange County High Court said utility companies cut energy-saving rebates and cut business for his company, Transphase business Inc.
The company built and installed systems that significantly reduced cooling costs and electrical use for hospitals and other large facilities, and before the collapse, the company had 50 employees with annual sales of more than $5 million, said the suit.
The struggle between Edison and Ames began a decade ago when utilities were seeking millions of dollars from the state for energy --
Efficiency plan.
Ames believes that the national funding for these projects should go directly to companies like him.
After Ames filed his case with the Public Utilities Commission, Edison agreed to pay $58,000 a month for seven years.
This payment represents the energy saving of Transphase products.
But the lawsuit said utilities began cutting payments and eventually canceled them altogether.
After the payment was used up, transpase folded.
Ames said the company funded several systems based on Edison's funds.
"There is a lot of potential hostility," Ames said . ".
"Resentment comes back to haunt them.
They don't want electricity to save, they want electricity to sell. "After a seven-
During the week's trial, a jury of seven women and five men agreed on Tuesday that Edison had breached his contract with Transphase and had maliciously interfered with the company's two clients.
The juror awarded Transphase $5.
Later in the day, 9 million of general damages were awarded to the company in punitive damages of $400,000.
Ames said he hoped the jury's verdict would "send a loud and clear signal and message to Edison's management ".
Edison's chief lawyer, Don Zell, declined to comment on the verdict, but did say the company plans to appeal.
In his final debate on the punitive phase, Zell said that he believed that the damages already awarded in this case were "too high" and made it clear that he felt he was fighting a failure.
"I don't think I have any credibility with any of you," Zell told the jury . ".
Ames, who is now a lawyer and not a business executive, says his future has begun to take shape.
"All I think is through this case," he said . ".
"But now I think I'm really going to practice the law and focus on helping other small companies.
I think small companies are really used by big companies.
"But first, Ames had another trial across the country ---
He said the New Jersey utility filed a civil lawsuit against Jersey Central Power and bright, which also broke him.
The case is pending in the United States. S.
Newark district court.
James's father, Walter Ames of Washington, D. C. , assisted him in the California case. C. -
Patent Agent
The money awarded by the jury "will eventually go to shareholders, and I am very, very happy about that," Ames said.
"These people are mainly family and friends. they have worked in transpase for 15 years.
Their investment will eventually pay off.
In addition to personal satisfaction, the judgment may have a greater impact, Ames said. "With the so-
"There are a lot of small companies that are called deregulation and they will try to sell electricity to Edison's customers," he said . ".
"But these companies have to sign contracts with Edison to get electricity.
"Hope they treat these companies fairly and allow competition in the free market," he said . ".
"This is the only way to really reduce the electricity bill.