Comments on Maine DOER Draft Request for Proposals for Energy Storage Projects

CESA submitted comments to the Maine Department of Energy Resources (DOER) regarding its draft request for proposals (RFP) for energy storage projects. CESA applauds the draft RFP, but encourages DOER to include fossil fuel peaker power plant replacement among the potential benefits of energy storage to be included in the RFP and to be considered when evaluating proposals. CESA highlights the environmental impacts and human health risks of fossil fuel peaker plant emissions, and emphasizes that replacing aging peaker plants with new, more efficient gas plants would actually cause an increase in total emissions due to increased runtime. CESA’s 2024 analysis shows the cost-effectiveness of battery storage over new gas-fired peaker plants and identifies several fossil fueled peaker plants in Maine nearing retirement. CESA highlights this as an opportunity to replace these aging plants with new energy storage instead of new gas peakers.