Energy Storage Education And Outreach: Orange and Rockland Utilities
Description of the Partnership Opportunity
Orange & Rockland Utilities (ORU) seeks partners to support energy storage outreach and education, which targets an increase in awareness and adoption of energy storage in the Company’s service territory.
The education and outreach program will expand ORU’s current offerings and seeks to inform consumers about key energy storage topics, including: the basic value proposition to each customer segment, ownership costs, environmental benefits, charging and discharging strategies, and available incentives.
Top Goals and Objectives of This Opportunity
The top goals and objectives of this effort are:
- Increase awareness of energy storage offerings, and educate residential, commercial, and industrial customers on the costs and benefits so that they can make informed decisions on their energy use while providing broader benefits (and earning revenues) from various market products.
- Educate external stakeholders (i.e., municipalities, first responders, etc.) on energy storage technologies, the costs and benefits of each, and specifications to inform local zoning and permitting.
Target Customers and/or Applications
This program will target residential, commercial, and industrial customers (with or without solar), along with external stakeholders including municipalities, first responders, local planners, developers, and zoning and permitting professionals. Eligible customers must be located within ORU’s electric service territory.
Partnerships being Considered
ORU will consider proposals to partner with entities which have innovative solutions to increase customer and external stakeholder awareness and education of energy storage technologies. ORU expects to explore partnerships to develop a demonstration project or collect information to develop an RFP.
Solutions Being Considered
ORU is open to a wide range of solutions, including (but not limited to):
- developing marketing materials (bill inserts, FAQ, one-pagers, etc.),
- collaborating with advertising agencies,
- collaborating with battery manufacturers, and/or
- supporting community outreach events.
Potential Replicability and Scalability
Proposals should be both replicable and scalable across the targeted customer segment. Respondents should identify the long-term value of the proposed solution to ORU customers, the third-party partner, and ORU.
Solutions Not Being Considered
Direct deployment of energy storage assets.
Primary REV Objective
The primary REV objective addressed by this effort is to enhance customer knowledge and capabilities.
Background / Related Information
ORU believes there is tremendous potential for growth of energy storage in its NY service territory. Company data indicates there is currently about 400 kW of energy storage deployed in ORU’s service territory. Through planned non-wires alternatives, demonstration projects, the Bulk Storage Solicitation, along with organic growth, ORU estimates at least 20 MW of energy storage will be deployed over the next few years.
ORU believes education and outreach will help to increase adoption of energy storage. As stakeholders understand the various use cases for energy storage technology, adoption will increase. The Utility will play a critical role to educate and inform stakeholders, while addressing any concerns or issues pertaining to integrating battery assets safely and reliably with the utility grid and/or the customer’s equipment.
Through the company’s non-wires alternative projects, significant time and effort has been invested in engaging with local authorities and customers to educate and inform them about energy storage. O&R believes that leveraging a robust education and outreach platform will support the development phase of energy storage projects, and lead to greater energy storage penetration in ORU’s territory. Proposals should cover all customers segments (residential, commercial, and industrial), along with external stakeholders (municipalities, first responders, local planners, project developers and zoning and permitting professionals). The goal of this effort will be to inform customers and stakeholders on the costs and benefits of energy storage, allowing them to better manage their own energy use while providing broader benefits (and earning revenues) from various market products.
The Company supports New York State’s goal to achieve 1,500 MW of Energy Storage by 2025. ORU will make all necessary efforts to increase energy storage adoption within the service territory, and is committed to developing the appropriate tools, processes, and capabilities to further adoption of energy storage.
Orange and Rockland’s Utility Profile
Energy Storage Innovation Sprint
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