The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), with funding support from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Electricity, seeks a qualified consultant to develop a comprehensive guidance document for State Energy Offices focused on energy storage research, development, and demonstration (RD&D). The consultant will work collaboratively with NASEO staff to research, draft, revise, and finalize one comprehensive guide that addresses policy, programmatic, and planning considerations for advancing energy storage technologies at the state level.
The guide will examine State Energy Offices' roles in increasing energy storage RD&D, including an overview of barriers and opportunities, engagement strategies with private sector partners, utilities, community groups, and other state agencies, and successful state models for potential replication. Content will cover technical considerations involved with the RD&D process and the current state-of-play and potential use-cases for various energy storage technologies including batteries, flywheels, pumped hydropower, and hydrogen. The guide will also address issues associated with cost, interconnection, market reform, and permitting, along with the role of energy storage in larger grid modernization efforts at federal, regional, and state levels. Long-duration energy storage and innovative opportunities, such as pairing energy storage with clean energy microgrids, will be explored.
The consultant must provide actionable state energy policy, planning, and programmatic guidance with a clear overview of State Energy Offices' roles, supported by case studies of successful projects. Information on utility engagement and private sector partnerships will be explored, along with implications of new federal funding streams including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. Energy justice and equity considerations will be integrated throughout, including the role of energy storage in supporting a just energy transition and opportunities to support rural and remote areas with relevant case studies.
Key Timeline: Project kickoff is September 2023, with an outline due October 16, 2023, review draft due November 22, 2023, and final draft due January 15, 2024. The overall project period runs from September 1, 2023, to January 31, 2024. The final deliverable will be provided in Microsoft Word format along with all relevant graphics files. NASEO will conduct the competitive selection process, and all DOE requirements and federal reporting obligations will apply to the awarded consultant.