• The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) has determined it is prudent for the commonwealth to adopt an energy storage target for electric companies.
• DOER will next adopt specific energy storage targets by July 1, 2017, and the targets would take effect by Jan. 1, 2020.
• In order to set “the appropriate target scale, structure and mechanisms,” DOER has requested stakeholder input by January 27, 2017.
As outlined in MA the State of Charge report.
“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,”
• Analyze the storage industry landscape, review economic development and market opportunities for energy storage, and examine potential policies and programs that could be implemented to better utilize energy storage in Massachusetts.
• Provide policy and regulatory recommendations along with cost-benefit analysis
• Engage stakeholders such as ISO-NE, utilities, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU), storage industry, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) labs, and other interested parties
The Commonwealth can nurture and grow the energy storage industry through programs and initiatives aimed at both attracting business and deploying the technology.
"Energy storage is the only technology that can use energy generated during low cost offpeak periods to serve load during expensive peak. "
Advanced Energy Storage Capacity Optimization
• Minimization of wholesale market costs and capacity cost
• Minimization of Massachusetts emissions
• Increased utilization of transmission and distribution assets
• Minimization of incremental new transmission assets
• Increasing resiliency with wide scale transmission, distribution, and generation outages
• Minimization of requirements for peaking power plant
• Stress testing with varying levels of power demand, fuel price, and renewable deployment
Recommended reading: Massachusetts DOER to Set Energy Storage Targets and State of Charge