Co-founders of the Energy Policy Design Institute (EPDI), which supports decision-makers with tools for better, faster policymaking, announced they will provide the Maryland Public Service Commission (Maryland PSC) with critical policy design and stakeholder facilitation services in support of the state’s first-ever energy storage goal. The contract with a small business reserve company follows a successful pilot of EPDI’s expedited policy development model, which helped stakeholders and policy staff in the Maryland Energy Storage Program (MESP) achieve crucial milestones under tight time pressure. 

In May 2023, Maryland became the 10th U.S. state to establish an energy storage target, with legislation requiring 3 gigawatts (GW) of storage within a decade. Between October and December, EPDI worked intensively with the MESP workgroup leader and diverse stakeholder participants to address critical program design questions, build broad consensus, and file an essential interim report. 

“The EPDI team’s expertise and facilitation have quickened the process of addressing Maryland's key policy design questions needed to achieve our MESP goals,” said John Borkoski, MESP workgroup leader for the Maryland PSC.

“Maryland’s energy storage target is excellent news for its clean energy economy, but responding to new targets is often very demanding,” said Ted Ko, EPDI Co-Founder and Executive Director. “Helping states respond quickly and effectively to new policy priorities is our core competency at EPDI, and we are thrilled to continue working with the Maryland PSC after the success we achieved together last year.”

EPDI guided the workgroup to establish a shared objective and then identify and prioritize the key policy design questions that must be addressed to achieve it. The workgroup’s interim report, written primarily by EPDI, reflects input from over 50 stakeholders across industry, utilities, ratepayer advocates, and community and environmental justice groups, and provides a strong foundation for the workgroup’s ongoing efforts to design Maryland’s energy storage program.

“EPDI’s expert facilitation has been instrumental in helping Maryland stakeholders work together efficiently,” said Greg Geller, CEO of Stack Energy Consulting and MESP workgroup participant. “EPDI’s approach has allowed us to capitalize on lessons learned in other states and focus the group’s attention on critical design questions that can help Maryland maximize its investment in energy storage.”

“Well-designed state policies and programs are crucial for deploying clean technologies at scale,” said Tyler Wakefield, EPDI Co-Founder and Associate Executive Director. “EPDI’s work helps state agencies develop large, complex policies on short timeframes and maintain progress toward climate goals.”

Energy Policy Design Institute | epdiusa.org