Federal grant to help BGE add battery storage capacity to grid

Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. expects to receive up to $50 million in federal funding to support new technologies, such as adding battery energy storage to the electric grid.

A grant from the U.S. Department of Energy will fund infrastructure and advanced technology investments in the distribution system to help the state meet ambitious climate goals, BGE said.

Maryland is navigating a transition away from fossil fuels, guided by a 2022 law that aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions 60% by 2031 and reach net-zero, nearly eliminating the state’s carbon footprint, by 2045.

The Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program, or GRIP, is funded through the Biden Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to improve the resilience of the power system against growing threats of extreme weather.

Funding would help modernize the grid by adding 11 megawatts of battery energy storage across BGE’s distribution system, upgrade substations and allow for up to 3 megawatts of customer-owned solar with battery storage and electric vehicle charging stations. Battery energy storage systems will be added along distributed feeders through BGE’s service area, a step toward the state’s goal of 3,000 megawatts of new battery energy storage by 2033.

Improved capacity and flexibility will be a “vital step in meeting state and local climate goals while maintaining a focus on community needs and resilience,” Mark Case, BGE’s vice president of regulatory policy and strategy, said in an announcement of the funding.

The substation technology upgrades will help coordinate and connect resources such as rooftop solar installations and electric vehicles.

The grant also will allow BGE to work with Howard County government and two organizations that will install battery, solar and electric vehicle charging in community “resiliency hubs,” or facilities that provide temporary shelter, backup power and access to fresh water, food, medicine and charging stations during emergencies. The organizations are Open Works, a Baltimore maker space, and Civic Works, a Baltimore nonprofit that offers skills development and job training.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said the BGE partnership will help the county expand renewable energy sources, increase electric vehicle charging infrastructure, boost on-site solar energy generation and add solar battery storage.

The BGE grant, subject to a final agreement with the energy department, is part of nearly $2 billion the department recently announced for 38 projects. The GRIP program is investing $10.5 billion in communities across the country.

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