Dive Brief:
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Long-duration energy storage could provide significant value to Maine’s grid during multi-day stretches of low wind and solar production, especially during the winter months when heating needs drive up electricity demand, according to a report from the Maine Governor’s Energy Office.
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The report, submitted to state legislators on Feb. 1, also found that in order to incentivize long-duration energy resources on the grid, changes will need to be made to the regional capacity market to ensure the resources are adequately valued and compensated.
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As of January 2023, Maine housed some 63 MW of battery energy storage projects that were either online or planned to come online within the year, as well as some behind-the-meter storage. The state does not have any large hydroelectric pumped storage. However, it is aiming to deploy at least 300 MW of energy storage capacity by the end of 2025, and 400 MW by the end of 2030.
Dive Insight:
Other states around the country are also exploring the potential of long-duration energy storage. A recent report from California regulators, for instance, found that the California Independent System Operator’s footprint could require up to 5 GW of long-duration energy storage, if it retains existing gas resources — and up to 37 GW by 2045, if it is aiming to decarbonize more deeply. And last August, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, D, doled out nearly $15 million in funding to four long-duration energy storage demonstration projects, including a $12 million award to Form Energy to develop and construct a 10 MW/1,000 MWh iron-air battery project.
Last June, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, D, signed legislation that among other things directed the governor’s office to take a closer look at new and emerging long-duration energy storage technologies that could meet the state’s energy needs.
This resulted in the study submitted to the state legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology earlier this month. The report considered multiple long-duration energy storage technologies, including pumped storage, compressed air, flow batteries and hydrogen-based storage.
The report noted that long-duration storage could play a role in ensuring resource adequacy in the state, especially as the grid in Maine and across New England becomes more renewable. Today, during times when winter electricity demand is high and wind and solar production are low, coal and oil-fired generators kick in to make up the difference. Those two forms of energy comprise around 20% of New England’s electricity generation capacity and are incentivized with capacity payments, according to the report.