Consumer Liaison Group explores growing role of energy storage

The third 2026 meeting of the Consumer Liaison Group (CLG) centered on batteries, energy storage, and the future of the electric grid, examining how storage technologies are evolving, the role they can play in supporting grid operations and reliability, and their potential to help meet New England’s changing energy needs.

A video recording and summary of the Sept. 24 meeting in Portland, Maine, are available online. 

Drew Landry, CLG Coordinating Committee member and Maine’s deputy public advocate, began the meeting with opening remarks and provided an overview of the group as well as the critical roles of ISO New England. He introduced the topics of discussion and described innovations in battery technology.

Heather Sanborn, Maine’s public advocate, discussed electrification during her keynote address, noting that demand growth from heat pumps and electric vehicles (EVs) has largely been offset by declining industrial consumption. She highlighted findings from the ISO’s 2050 Transmission Study, describing how it showed the potential cost savings of reducing peak demand. The audience followed up with questions on load growth trends, EV charging timing, stakeholder coordination, solar incentives, and utility data transparency.

The first panel discussion was moderated by Cole Cochrane, policy affairs lead at Powertown and a Coordinating Committee member, and featured Greg Geller, Stack Energy Consulting; Kelly Kaufmann, ReVision Energy; Jessica Robertson, New Leaf Energy; and Elio Torres, Powertown. The panelists examined how market reforms, incentive programs, and interconnection processes affect energy storage development. They emphasized the need for better alignment between wholesale markets and retail programs, more predictable revenue streams, and reduced barriers to battery deployment. Audience questions focused on the impact of FERC Order No. 2222 and market complexity on storage participation.

The ISO’s Eric Johnson, executive director of External Affairs, and Ruben Flores-Marzan, policy advisor for environmental and community affairs, provided a regional grid update covering market, planning, and policy developments. Highlights included consumer engagement opportunities and community outreach activities, growing battery participation on the system, market trends, transmission planning initiatives, and large load integration efforts. Audience questions focused on battery visibility in ISO-NE tools and maintaining a safe, affordable resource mix.

The final panel discussion, moderated by Landry, featured George Baker, Gridworks Consulting; Ian Burnes, Efficiency Maine Trust; Al McBride, ISO New England; and Ethan Tremblay, Maine Department of Energy Resources. They discussed the growing role of energy storage in New England, highlighting state initiatives, battery participation in ISO-NE markets, and the reliability and operational benefits storage can provide. Audience questions focused on battery deployment, interconnection challenges, and opportunities for greater participation in wholesale markets.

The next CLG meeting, scheduled for Dec. 2 in Boston, will include the biennial election of the Coordinating Committee.