Lightshift Energy deploying 50MW of community BESS in Massachusetts for utility group

LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email

Storage developer and operator Lightshift Energy will deploy numerous distributed battery energy storage system (BESS) projects totalling 50MW for various utilities via the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC).

MMWEC, a joint action agency representing half of the municipal utilities in Massachusetts, chose Lightshift to build and operate the projects following competitive solicitation process launched in late 2022.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Enjoy 12 months of exclusive analysis

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Annual digital subscription to the PV Tech Power journal
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Lightshift described the portfolio as the state’s first jointly implemented fleet of BESS projects, and they will number at least 10. The BESS assets will help the utilities manage generation and load, decarbonise their grids and save costs, with a total saving of over US$200 million expected by 2050.

Four are under construction in the towns of Groton, Holden and Paxton for commercial operation this summer, late-stage development is underway for projects in the towns of Peabody, Shrewsbury, Wakefield, Chicopee, Ipswich and Princeton, and mid-stage development is ongoing for projects elsewhere. All will come online in 2024 and 2025.

The BESS will provide peak shaving activities, balancing supply and demand and helping to reduce emissions across the state.

Lightshift Energy, formerly known as Delorean Power, last month raised US$100 million from shareholder Greenbacker for its pipeline which has to-date mainly been in the Northeastern and Southeastern US.

The aforementioned Holden and Groton projects could be the same ones previously announced by Lightshift/Delorean in those towns.

A 5MW/22Wh one that the firm is deploying for utility Holden Municipal Light Department (HMLD) was announced in October last year. In November, it said it would build a 2MW/9MWh system for the Groton Electric Light Department (GELD). Both are roughly 4.5-hour duration systems.

Alongside smaller-scale or distributed projects like these, there are a handful of large-scale BESS projects being developed in Massachusetts. In June last year, two projects totalling 800MWh were granted Zoning Law exemptions to allow their development to progress.

18 March 2025
Sydney, Australia
As we move into 2025, Australia is seeing real movement in emerging as a global ‘green’ superpower, with energy storage at the heart of this. This Summit will explore in-depth the ‘exponential growth of a unique market’, providing a meeting place for investors and developers’ appetite to do business. The second edition will shine a greater spotlight on behind-the-meter developments, with the distribution network being responsible for a large capacity of total energy storage in Australia. Understanding connection issues, the urgency of transitioning to net zero, optimal financial structures, and the industry developments in 2025 and beyond.
26 March 2025
Austin, Texas
The Energy Storage Summit USA is the only place where you are guaranteed to meet all the most important investors, developers, IPPs, RTOs and ISOs, policymakers, utilities, energy buyers, service providers, consultancies and technology providers in one room, to ensure that your deals get done as efficiently as possible. Book your ticket today to join us in 2025!

Read Next

February 5, 2025
BESS developer-operator S4 Energy has put a 4-hour duration project online in the Netherlands, the first in the country to become operational.
February 4, 2025
European battery optimisation and energy trading service provider enspired has partnered with battery analytics company volytica diagnostics.
Premium
February 4, 2025
The Board of Supervisors (BoS) of Orange County, California, has enacted an emergency moratorium on the approval of any new BESS facilities proposed for unincorporated areas of the county in order to protect the “health, safety and welfare” of its residents. 
February 3, 2025
US president Donald Trump has brought in new tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico, which will hit batteries – the kind of move Samsung SDI said could benefit its Korea-based manufacturing.
January 28, 2025
The IRS has released an amended cost breakdown of BESS to be used for calculating if a product qualifies for domestic content tax credit incentives, with an increase in US suppliers in the coming quarters.

Most Popular

Email Newsletter