Still Charging: Energy Storage Commercialization in Massachusetts
Making Massachusetts a global leader in energy storage innovation
By Victor Marttin
May 2020
Massachusetts’ robust community of entrepreneurs has the potential to transform the region into a global hub of energy innovation, especially with regard to energy storage. Recognizing this opportunity, researchers at the Institute for Sustainable Energy surveyed more than two dozen experts from across the Massachusetts energy ecosystem to identify gaps and strengths in getting new energy storage technologies from the lab to sale, faster.
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Key Findings
- Knowledge silos hamper progress and prevent commercialization. A centralizing organization and cohesive state policy could encourage members of Massachusetts’ energy ecosystem—from both business and technical backgrounds—to work together meaningfully.
- New technologies take time for regulations to adapt and align. In Massachusetts, regulatory barriers include the lack of clear permitting pathways and the risks of lithium-ion lock-in.
- Testing battery technology is difficult and expensive, slowing innovation. Bringing small-scale resources in-state and improving testing infrastructure could make piloting new technologies far easier.
- Incentives could help lower barriers to new and different types of participation and address the gap in management acumen with energy storage start-ups.
- Prospective entrepreneurs could be incentivized to take classes through accelerator partnerships with universities, and business schools could help educate two key demographics: investors and customers.