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Massachusetts aims to bring 5 gigawatts of battery storage online by 2030 and another 5 GW by 2035, the largest state procurement target cited in the report. Incentives, permitting changes and utility procurements are supporting development, but high grid interconnection costs remain a major obstacle.
Massachusetts is targeting 10 gigawatts of battery storage by 2035, combining a 5-GW goal for 2030 with policies designed to make projects easier to permit and finance. The state’s incentives and procurement rounds are helping developers advance large facilities, but the cost of connecting projects to the grid remains a significant barrier.
Massachusetts has already exceeded an earlier target of 1 GW of storage by 2025, reaching more than 1.6 GW, according to the source report. The new goals call for another 5 GW online by 2030 and a further 5 GW by 2035. The report says that, among 13 states with battery procurement targets, Massachusetts’ 10-GW target is the largest.
Several large developments are in progress or being prepared. Jupiter Power’s 700-MW Trimount project near Boston is expected to begin construction next year. Another company has closed on $850 million in financing for a 250-MW battery, while a 200-MW facility near the Rhode Island border has broken ground and is expected to be operating by year-end, the report says.
State support includes the Clean Peak Standard, in effect since 2020, which pays renewable energy and storage operators for delivering power during periods of peak demand. Permitting reforms that took effect July 1 give the Energy Facilities Siting Board authority over large projects, including storage facilities of at least 100 MW, and require decisions within 15 months of an application. The state is also using utility procurements to secure capacity: four projects totaling 1.3 GW were selected in December 2025 to proceed to contract negotiations, and selections from a later solicitation are expected in February.
How Batteries Could Ease Peak Demand
Storage can shift electricity from periods when it is abundant and cheaper to periods when demand is higher. Massachusetts officials and advocates say that could help integrate renewable energy and reduce reliance on more expensive, higher-emitting generation during peaks. The state has some of the highest electricity prices in the country, making the potential effect on costs a central reason for pursuing storage.
Batteries may also support grid resilience by supplying power when weather disrupts the system. Those benefits depend on projects being built and connected, however. The state’s targets set a direction for investment; they do not by themselves establish how much consumer bills or outage risks will change.
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From Early Targets to New Rules
Massachusetts began its Energy Storage Initiative in 2015 under then-Gov. Charlie Baker. The state initially sought 1 GW of storage by 2025 and surpassed that mark, reaching more than 1.6 GW. The newer 2030 and 2035 goals build on that progress.
The policy approach combines incentives with changes to project approval and state-led purchasing. Erin Smith of the Environmental League of Massachusetts described the state as a leader in encouraging battery development. The Clean Peak Standard offers a revenue source for projects, while the siting reforms are intended to replace a patchwork of municipal approvals for qualifying large facilities with a state process.
“Massachusetts is really a leader in this space.”
— Erin Smith, energy and grid policy director at the Environmental League of Massachusetts
Grid Connection Costs Remain Unsettled
The scale and timing of the state’s goals remain uncertain, in part because interconnection costs can make projects financially unworkable. Developers canceled a proposed 125-MW Tewksbury battery in September after citing $65 million in grid upgrades needed to connect it. The report says a study by grid operator ISO New England found that estimated connection costs for several proposed projects—most of them Massachusetts battery developments—exceeded $200 million in many cases.
The available reporting does not specify how many planned projects will ultimately be built, how much of the 10-GW goal will be secured through the announced procurements, or whether the state or utilities will address the interconnection costs. The full timeline and final contract terms for the projects selected for negotiations are also not provided.
February Selections and Project Approvals
Massachusetts is expected to announce selected projects from its second storage solicitation in February, after receiving 35 bids. The four projects selected in December 2025 are moving into contract negotiations with major utilities; those talks will determine whether and under what terms they proceed.
Developers will also need to move projects through permitting and grid connection work. The state’s new siting process sets a 15-month decision deadline for qualifying applications, but the report does not give a final decision date for any specific project. Progress toward the 2030 target will depend on procurement outcomes, approvals, financing and the cost of necessary grid upgrades.
Key Questions
What is Massachusetts’ battery storage target?
The state aims to have 5 GW online by 2030 and another 5 GW by 2035, for a total of 10 GW.
What policies are supporting battery development?
Support includes the Clean Peak Standard, which pays storage and renewable energy operators for delivering power during peak demand; state siting reforms for large projects; and utility procurements for storage capacity.
What is the main obstacle facing proposed projects?
Grid interconnection costs are a major concern. A proposed 125-MW Tewksbury project was canceled after developers cited $65 million in required grid upgrades, and estimates for other projects have often exceeded $200 million.
When will Massachusetts announce the next procurement selections?
The report says selected projects from the second solicitation are expected to be announced in February. The solicitation received 35 bids.
Source: canarymedia.com
