A report by the Energy Storage Coalition shows that the PJM region needs a colossal 23GW of energy storage by 2040.
The U.S. Energy Storage Coalition, which brings together battery manufacturers, project developers, owners, and operators, recently published a report outlining the need for more energy storage technology in order to stabilize the PJM region over the next few decades. The document warns that the PJM region — which serves roughly 65 million customers and is the country’s largest energy region — must deploy at least 16 GW of energy storage by 2032 and 23 GW by 2040 in order to maintain grid reliability. Without such build-out, the region risks forced load shedding during extreme weather, sharp increases in electricity costs (projected ~ 38% by 2028), and broader reliability challenges. Furthermore, the group notes that hundreds of energy storage projects are currently stalled in PJM’s interconnection queue, with regulatory, permitting, and market design barriers delaying critical deployment.
Energy storage is positioned as a bridging technology that complements most renewable generation by delivering dispatchable power during peak demand, smoothing variability, and helping avoid costly infrastructure overbuild. The report urges state and PJM policymakers to streamline interconnection processes, reform market rules to properly value storage services, clarify transmission charge allocations, and modernize permitting standards.
For Maryland counties, the expansion of energy storage carries direct and growing implications. Storage projects can help stabilize local grids and reduce strain on distribution infrastructure. Still, these systems come with new public safety risks, and should they fail, they can create a serious local or regional crisis. As state and regional policymakers consider wider adoption of these technologies, county leaders should stay engaged to ensure legislative or regulatory frameworks adequately meet local needs and concerns.
