Dive Brief:
- Massachusetts has launched a $10 million initiative to examine how energy storage can benefit the state and what regulatory changes may be necessary to facilitate growth of the resource.
- The program will also fund demonstration projects, including utility-scale storage projects and residential systems.
- The state's Department of Energy Resources (DOER) will work with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and other market players to assist in the development of projects and in holding forums to engage experts and industry in storage policy opportunities.
Dive Insight:
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker's $10 million storage program is aimed at making the state a "national leader in energy storage" according to a statement from the administration, and will build on efforts made by the former Gov. Deval Patrick to support innovative energy policy.
“The Commonwealth’s plans for energy storage will allow the state to move toward establishing a mature local market for these technologies that will, in turn, benefit ratepayers and the local economy,” Baker said. “Massachusetts has an exciting opportunity to provide a comprehensive approach to support a growing energy storage industry with this initiative's analysis, policy and program development.”
The Energy Storage Initiative (ESI) includes a two-part study from DOER and MassCEC to analyze opportunities to support storage companies in Massachusetts, and to develop policy options to encourage energy storage deployment. Leaders of the initiative tied it back to business opportunities which will eventually benefit the state.
“Massachusetts’ $10 billion clean energy industry already supports a promising energy storage cluster,” MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton said in a statement. “By launching the Energy Storage Initiative and fostering this sector at home, Massachusetts will position itself to grab a disproportionate share of the economic opportunities arising out of the fast growing global markets for storage technology.”
In parallel with the study, DOER will back demonstration projects from the utility to residential scales, working with MassCEC to help develop innovative projects in the the state using $10 million in alternative compliance payments made by utilities.
The state's storage program was announced at the Energy Storage Association’s conference on “New Market Structures and Policy Enabling Storage.”
