Richard Reis, PE
The Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club supports General Assembly legislation, HB0773 and SB0715 of 2017, for Clean Energy – Energy Storage Technology Study. The bills advance our core values of a clean and sustainable environment while achieving an economy that helps all Marylanders.
Energy storage (ES) can improve the way we generate, deliver, and consume electricity:
- ES is an important catalyst for the large-scale adaptation of clean renewable energy, because the times when solar and wind energy peak do not always coincide with peak electrical energy demand.
- In turn clean energy reduces air and water pollution from dirty energy generation and by doing so also lowers emissions of carbon dioxide and other global-warming gases.
- Energy storage will improve electrical grid resilience and reliability by bridging potential electrical power shortfalls.
- Energy Storage can effectively absorb and use more wind and solar power.
- This technology can reduce transmission and distribution line losses.
- Energy storage is allowing Hawaii to reach unprecedented levels of solar energy use.
The important question is: How we can make energy storage work for Maryland?
We want to ensure that a quality and cost-effective future energy storage infrastructure. However, there are many unknowns:
- What types of energy storage will work best for Maryland? Storage technologies include ice thermal storage, hydrogen, compressed air, and pumped water, as well as batteries.
- Placement of energy storage
- In front of or behind the meter
- Optimal grid location
- What are the ways to mitigate environmental and safety concerns?
- What are the best legislative and regulatory ways to promote and incentivize energy storage development?
- We want energy storage that works and is cost-effective. This study will examine and report on metrics, criteria, and potential standards for energy storage, including durability, efficiency, energy capacity, charge / discharge rates, etc.
U.S. energy storage deployment grew from 65 MW to 260 MW in the last 2 years and is expected to continue growing rapidly. The energy study will help the Maryland Public Services Commission, the Maryland Energy Administration, state legislators, other officials, utilities, industry, potential storage suppliers, and the public understand how to best make energy storage work for all Marylanders.
The study that comes from this bill will ensure rapid and effective deployment of energy storage in Maryland.