Competitive Solicitations

Draft Request for Proposals for Energy Storage Projects Released for Public Comment 

The Maine Department of Energy Resources (DOER) has released a Draft Request for Proposals (RFP) (PDF link) for the development of energy storage systems pursuant to 35-A M.R.S. §10313. 

DOER is required by law to conduct competitive solicitations that will increase the supply of affordable, reliable and clean energy for Maine. Competitive solicitations provide a mechanism to advance low-cost energy resources while supporting reliability, efficiency, and fulfilling statutory obligations to increase clean energy use. The Department seeks input from the public to inform the final structure and requirements of the solicitation. 

Energy storage – technologies that store electricity to be used to meet demand at different times – can provide significant benefits to the grid and ratepayers. Energy storage can also help increase the availability of renewable energy from sources like wind and solar by absorbing excess energy when it is being produced, then discharging it later when the energy is needed. Energy storage deployment also presents important economic development and resilience opportunities for local communities. The Department has published a Handbook for Maine Communities that can serve as a planning resource to support the responsible development of battery energy storage projects, as well as other clean energy resources such as solar.  The Handbook includes frequently asked questions, information about energy storage technologies, state and federal regulations, local policy considerations, and a model ordinance for battery energy storage systems. 

Purpose of the RFP 

Through this RFP, the Department anticipates seeking to procure between 200 megawatts (MW) and 300 MW or more of new energy storage resources. DOER will only award energy resources through competitive solicitations that will provide benefits to ratepayers in Maine that exceed all costs to ratepayers in Maine. To the extent any proposals are received which satisfy this threshold requirement of providing net benefits to Maine ratepayers, the Department’s statutory objectives for this competitive procurement will include:  

A. To provide the benefits of renewable and clean resources to ratepayers in the State;
B. To provide the benefits of renewable and clean resources toward meeting the greenhouse gas reduction obligations and climate policies of the state;
C. To contribute to the State's economic and workforce goals;
D. To minimize the impact of energy generation on the environment of the State;
E. To ensure the protection of low-income ratepayers; and
F. To avoid or minimize the curtailment of other renewable or clean resources.

Public Comment Period

The draft RFP is available for public review and comment beginning March 27, 2026. Written comments must be submitted no later than Monday, April 20, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. (ET). 

Topics of Interest 

DOER invites comments from the public regarding any aspect of the draft RFP. In addition, DOER specifically invites comments on the following topics of interest. To the extent commenters recommend modifications to the RFP, DOER encourages commenters to provide specific redlines or proposed alternative language. 

I. General
  1. Timeline to have RFP open (Draft RFP Section 2.1).
    1. Is it important to award projects in advance of the ISO-NE 2026 cluster request entry window in October? What would be the implications of instead providing a longer window for bid development?
    2. Minimum project size of 3 MW (Draft RFP Section 3.2.4).
      1. Should this minimum project size be maintained, adjusted, or eliminated?  
II. Interconnection and Delivery
  1. DOER intends that projects located in the portion of the state administered by the Northern Maine Independent System Administrator are eligible to respond to this RFP, provided they meet all other established eligibility criteria. Does the RFP inadvertently preclude projects located in the NMISA territory?
  2. DOER intends that projects interconnected to the distribution system are eligible to respond to this RFP, provided they meet all other established eligibility criteria. Does the RFP inadvertently preclude projects interconnected to the distribution system?
  3. DOER intends that projects collocated with generation are eligible to respond to this RFP, provided they meet all other established eligibility criteria. Does the RFP inadvertently preclude projects collocated with generation?
III. Safety and Security Plan Requirements
  1. What other aspects can be addressed in the safety and security plan referenced in section 5.1.11? 
IV. Contract and Pricing 
  1. The Energy Market Adjustment described in Section 4.2.2 and Appendix C is based on the Reference Energy Arbitrage Price in NYSERDA’s Indexed Storage Credit calculation.1 The Energy Market Adjustment is intended to provide an incentive for bidders to maximize their energy market revenues while mitigating costs to ratepayers. 
    1. Is the Energy Market Adjustment calculation clear enough to allow bidders to develop bid prices? 
    2. Are there any unforeseen risks or challenges associated with the Energy Market Adjustment?  
  2. Is 20 years the best choice for a required contract term, or should the DOER consider requiring a shorter term to match the financial lifetime of some storage assets? 

How to Submit Comments

Interested parties are encouraged to submit written comments via email: doer@maine.gov, with subject line “2026 Energy Storage Draft RFP.” 

Public Information Session

The Department will host a virtual public information session to provide an overview of the draft RFP, including a question-and-answer session. 

Email Updates

For future updates on competitive solicitations, including this storage RFP, sign up here. 

Next Steps 

Following the close of the public comment period, the Department will review all feedback and may revise the RFP accordingly prior to issuing a final solicitation. The final RFP will be reviewed by the Public Utilities Commission pursuant to 35-A M.R.S. §10313 (2)(C). DOER anticipates publishing the final RFP in Q3 2026. 

The Maine Department of Energy Resources appreciates the engagement of all stakeholders in providing input for this initiative. 

This is an opportunity for comment only; DOER is not seeking proposals for energy storage projects at this time, will not pay for information provided in response to this notice, and provision of information in response to this draft is not required and will not be considered in any evaluation of future proposals.  

DOER will publish responses on its website. All responses may be subject to disclosure under the State of Maine Freedom of Access Act, thus sensitive or confidential business information should not be provided.  

Background

Beginning in 2026, Maine Department of Energy Resources (DOER) will conduct a competitive solicitation for energy storage and is also considering a competitive solicitation for demand management. The Maine Energy Plan identifies energy storage as key to “decrease costs by supplying power when grid electricity is most expensive, and store energy to be utilized when intermittent clean energy resources may not be as abundantly available” (p. 29). Demand management can play a central role in increasing affordability by providing a flexible, cost-effective alternative to traditional grid infrastructure upgrades.

Prior to the establishment of DOER, such solicitations were typically conducted by the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) only when directed by specific legislation. Consistent with practices in other states, DOER’s procurement authority will create a transparent, data-driven process with clear timelines and a consistent review standard. This approach will help lower costs for ratepayers, ensure a reliable and diverse energy supply, attract investment, and advance Maine's economic and energy goals. DOER will only award projects that will provide net benefits to Maine ratepayers.

DOER’s solicitation priorities will be informed by the Maine Energy Plan and related technical reports as well as other studies conducted and commissioned by the Department in recent years. There will be opportunities for public input on DOER’s solicitations. For more information, view the anticipated solicitation schedule below. 

2026 Anticipated Solicitation Schedule 

DOER published its anticipated Competitive Solicitations Schedule for 2026 on December 19, 2025. The schedule is available here (PDF).

If you have questions about DOER’s competitive solicitations, please email doer@maine.gov.