Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1529610
HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | NOVEMBER 25, 2024 23 FOCUS | CLEAN ENERGY State incentives The state has been working to incentivize battery energy storage development since the legislature passed a 2021 law that established a goal to deploy 1,000 MW of storage capacity in Connecticut by the end of 2030. To achieve that, the state created two programs: the Energy Storage Solution initiative, which will provide incentives to mostly small- scale, residential and commercial projects totaling about 600 MW; and the procurement through DEEP, aimed at attracting larger-scale proposals that connect directly to the electrical grid. In addition to that 2030 deadline, the 2021 law also requires the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to demonstrate "quantifiable progress" in deploying 300 MW of battery storage by Dec. 31, 2024, and 650 MW by the end of 2027. Democratic State Rep. Jona- than Steinberg, House chair of the legislature's Energy and Technology Committee, sees recent progress as "a pretty good step forward." "Since the order of magnitude of what's in the pipeline is equivalent to our goal, I have to say that is hitting the goal," Steinberg said. People are concerned about the state's energy future, he added, especially amid the spike in elec- tricity prices that occurred this past summer. Steinberg expects the legislature will take on the issue in its GENERAL CONTRACTING • CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT • DESIGN BUILD PARTNER 21 DEMING ROAD, BERLIN, CT 06037 • (860) 610-1093 • WWW.OLSENCS.COM NEW CONSTRUCTION • TENANT FIT OUT • CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE • HEALTHCARE EAST HAVEN HARTLAND BARKHAMSTED WINCHESTER TORRINGTON PLYMOUTH BRISTOL BURLINGTON HARWINGTON NEW HARTFORD CANTON GRANBY SUFFIELD ENFIELD SOMERS UNION ASHFORD WILLINGTON TOLLAND ELLINGTON VERNON BOLTON COVENTRY WINDHAM LEBANON COLCHESTYER EAST HADDAM WESTBROOK CLINTON KILLINGWORTH MADISON GUILFORD BRANFORD WALLINGFORD CHESHIRE SOUTHINGTON WOLCOTT WATERBURY MIDDLEBURY PROSPECT NAUGATUCK HAMDEN BETHANY BEACON FALLS NORTH HAVEN NORTH BRANFORD ESSEX DEEP RIVER CHESTER HADDAM DURHAM MIDDLETOWN MIDDLEFIELD OLD SAYBROOK COLUMBIA ANDOVER HEBRON EAST HAMPTON GLASTONBURY MARLBO- ROUGH PORTLAND CROMWELL MERIDEN BERLIN NEW BERLIN PLAINVILLE FARMINGTON AVON WEST HARTFORD HARTFORD EAST HART- FORD MANCHESTER SOUTH WINDSOR EAST WINDSOR WINDSOR BLOOMFIELD SIMSBURY EAST GRANDBY WINDSOR LOCKS NEWINGTON WETHERSFIELD ROCKY HILL OXFORD SEYMOUR SHELTON TRUMBULL MILFORD BRIDGEPORT FAIRFIELD ORANGE WEST HAVEN NEW HAVEN WOODBRIDGE DERBY ANSONIA SOUTHBURY SALISBURY NORTH CANAAN CANAAN NORFOLK COLEBROOK GOSHEN CORNWALL SHARON KENT WARREN LITCHFIELD MORRIS WASHINGTON NEW MILFORD ROXBURY WOODBURY BETHLEHEM WATERTOWN THOMASTON STAFFORD WOODSTOCK THOMPSON PUTNAM KILLINGLY POMFRET BROOKLYN PLAINFIELD STERLING VOLUNTOWN NORTH STONINGTON LEDYARD PRESTON GRISWALD CANTERBURY SCOTLAND HAMPTON CHAMPLIN EASTFORD MANSFIELD SALEM MONTVILLE STONINGTON EAST LIME OLD LIME NORWICH LISBON SPRAGUE FERANKLIN WATERFORD NEW LONDON GROTON BOZRAH SHERMAN NEW FAIRFIELD DANBURY NEWTOWN BETHEL REDDING EASTON WESTON WILTON RIDGEFIELD MONROE STRATFORD WESTPORT NORWALK DARIEN NEW CANAAN STAMFORD GREENWICH BROOKFIELD BRIDGEWATER LYME 4.9 MW 18 MW 5 MW 7 MW 5 MW 5 MW 325 MW 17.3 MW 4.9 MW 4.9 MW 4.9 MW 4 MW 4.9 MW upcoming session. "On the generation side, I think we're going to impress upon at least the committee, if not the entire legislature, that we are at a pretty critical juncture whereby we're going to need all the energy we can get," Steinberg said. "If data centers are going to be part of our future, we are going to have to be very creative in drawing energy resources wherever we can, and storage is going to be a part of that." Hoffman, the attorney, said he's skeptical whether Connecticut can achieve its 1,000-MW goal by the end of 2030. One key stumbling block, he said, could be the arduous process of connecting battery storage units to the electric grid. He said the interconnec- tion process in southern New England is challenging, with too many barriers, which will slow future development. "The projects that have been approved, great, but other projects may be waiting longer in the queue for interconnection than they would otherwise," Hoffman said. The state has been slow to select proposals through the RFP procurement, he added. PROPOSED BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE PROJECTS SUBMITTED TO CT SITING COUNCIL DENIED UNDER REVIEW APPROVED