Clean Energy & Energy Efficiency

Data centers are emerging as one of the most consequential economic development, infrastructure, and land use issues facing Maryland counties. MD LCV Education Fund’s Rebecca Rehr hosted a Conservation Conversation where she heard about the approach to data centers from different county leaders.

Generate Now, Save Later

What are Battery Energy Storage Systems?

Solar and wind energy are now the most cost-effective means of generating electricity and, during peak production times, can generate excess power. This power can be stored.

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are essentially large banks of batteries used to store excess power until it’s needed, like during peak usage or to prevent service interruptions.

BESS have no mechanical parts, so they can be activated quickly to lessen the impact of power grid fluctuations, especially during heat waves or cold snaps.

The amount of storage BESS can provide is based on its design and the types of batteries used.

There are two main ways to store electricity for later use: BESS and pumped storage hydroelectric. Pumped storage hydroelectric power stores energy by pumping water to a higher elevation and releasing it to a lower elevation, spinning turbines in the process.

Battery Energy Storage Systems don’t require fuel delivery, are relatively compact, and do not need a large cooling system, so they can be installed rapidly and close to customers.

How Do They Work?

Most BESS employ battery packs to store energy, just like a laptop computer or cell phone.

Research continues on building better batteries, and there are several different types, including lead-acid (used in grid-connected BESS in the 1980-90s), or more modern lithium (circa 2012), and the newest sodium batteries, which are coming online today.

Batteries can be charged at lower demand times on the grid, and will support Maryland homes at peak energy demand, providing grid resilience and reliability.

BESS are often installed at or near active or retired power stations or substations, reducing infrastructure, materials, and labor costs by sharing the existing interconnection with the grid.

By design, activated BESS discharge power over a matter of hours. The United States Energy Information Administration averages home usage to about 1.2 kilowatts per hour, so an activated BESS can provide grid reliability to hundreds — and potentially thousands — of homes.

Why Are They Used?

BESS play a key role in modern power grid infrastructure by ensuring reliability, enabling quick recovery, integrating renewable energy sources, and offering peak shaving opportunities.

• They ensure reliability by making stored energy available when and where it’s needed.
• They can be activated and the batteries tapped within seconds of instability detection since there are no mechanical parts to initialize.
• The batteries store power — no matter its source — allowing the easy integration of electricity from renewables.
• When demand is high, BESS resources can be added to increase the supply side and stabilize rates for customers. This process is called peak shaving.

Installing a BESS brings capacity to the grid that is faster and cheaper to deploy than any fossil-based generation.

Are They Safe?

The Environmental Protection Agency has developed comprehensive guidance to help communities safely plan for the installation and operation of BESS facilities, as well as recommendations for incident response.

EPA recommends that remote sensors and monitoring equipment be included in the development of a BESS site. Further, it should comply with all state and local siting, zoning, marking, and permitting requirements to ensure site suitability.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) published safety standards for the installation, operation, and maintenance of facilities like BESS, with its latest update completed in 2026. NFPA standards govern things like smoke alarm installation and illuminated exit signs in buildings.

Maryland law requires BESS to conform to applicable building and fire codes before installation.

The Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute at the University of Maryland is the preeminent training and education system for all-hazard responses in the state. It has incorporated battery-specific training into its firefighter education program. Through completion of the course, firefighters learn the latest suppression and rescue techniques for batteries and alternative fuels.

There are many factors that determine the lifecycle of an individual battery: charge/discharge rates, power throughput, and physical age. Many manufacturers offer battery warranties between 5-15 years based on some or all of these factors.

Why BESS Deployment Matters for Maryland

The state has set the goal of having 50% of its electricity generation come from renewable sources by 2030. Storing solar and wind-generated power in BESS will help meet this mark, reducing pollution and guarding against volatile fossil fuel prices along the way.

Storing power generated from renewable sources helps the state meet its climate goals.

Constructing and maintaining BESS facilities creates jobs and increases opportunities for Marylanders.

Offshore Wind is a cornerstone of the clean energy transition. It is one of the cleanest and safest large-scale energy resources currently available.

Why is it clean?

• Near-zero emissions: Offshore Wind produces far less — some sources cite 99% — emissions than coal per unit of electricity generated.
• Resource potential: Ocean winds are stronger and more consistent than onshore wind, providing a massive potential for a clean power source to coastal communities — where nearly 40% of the U.S. population lives.
• Water conservation: Wind power does not require water for cooling like nuclear or coal plants.

How is it safe?

• Cleaner air: Maryland’s 1.7 GW site off the coast of Ocean City is expected to displace emissions of 139 million tons of carbon dioxide, almost 105,000 tons of sulfur dioxide, and 67,000 tons of nitrogen oxide. These numbers are equivalent to removing three million gas-powered cars from roads for a year.
• Fewer deaths: Harvesting wind power is safer than extracting, refining, transporting, and burning fossil fuels. The reductions in nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide offered by Maryland’s Offshore Wind Project are expected to save 1,400 lives per year.
• Energy security: Sourcing power from local, infinite wind resources shields the grid from international supply chain disruptions and volatile fuel prices.

How does it work?

• Turbines: The kinetic energy of air movement can be harvested by a mounted turbine, which is supported by a tower. A three-bladed configuration is most common.
• Transmission: The generated electricity flows onshore via cables and is fed into the existing grid, which powers our homes and businesses.
• Maintenance: All power systems require regular upkeep. Offshore Wind turbines have a lifespan of about 25 years, driving economic activity from service workers to boat crews. Turbine parts are reused and recycled.
• Decommissioning: Prior to project approval and permitting, regulations require multi-million dollar bonds to cover removal, replacement, or upgrades to turbines at the end of their life cycle.

Where will they be?

• Lease area: Through a rigorous study process including factors such as water depth, wind speeds, shipping routes, and wildlife impacts, the federal government identified and designated areas suitable for offshore wind farm development on the Outer Continental Shelf.
• Maryland: US Wind, a U.S. based company, secured an 80,000-acre lease area via auction overseen by the Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in designated federal waters 10 miles off the coast of Ocean City. The permitted and approved plan includes building 114 turbines spaced about a mile apart on this lease area.

Will turbines be visible?

• From shore: Under certain conditions, yes. Normal summer haze will likely obscure them during peak tourist season. The turbines are also designed to face into the wind, which typically comes in from the south during summer, meaning the turbine blades won’t be facing the shore most times.
• From boats: The turbines are fitted with two lights. The bottom light will be on at all times to provide navigational aides to boaters. This light should be visible up to five miles away in clear conditions.
• From planes: The top light only activates when an aircraft less than three nautical miles away is at an altitude of less than 1,000 feet. US Wind expects this light to operate a total of six hours every year.

How will this affect birds?

• Lease area: Before the lease area was auctioned, it was reviewed by federal agencies including BOEM. The leased area was selected to minimize wildlife impact.
• Migratory songbirds: In the mid-Atlantic region, these species typically travel within 10 miles of shore, at altitudes between 2-3,000 feet. This was taken into account by the Department of the Interior when the lease area was identified.
• Waterfowl: Species like geese, ducks, and other seabirds are documented to avoid shipping lanes, and experts believe their behavior around offshore wind farms would be no different.
• Experts agree: The Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, and Sierra Club have all voiced public support for offshore wind farms.
• Chance of bird strike: Research into mitigation techniques is ongoing. A recent breakthrough found painting a single turbine blade black increases contrast and visibility to avian species. This technique has reduced collisions by as much as 80% where applied.

How will this affect whales?

• Turbine installation: The installation process is scheduled to take place outside of whale migration season.
• Double Bubble Curtains: These devices are placed around the foundations of turbines during the installation phase. They are perforated hoses through which air is pumped, dramatically reducing the ability for sound to travel underwater — minimizing disturbances to marine mammals.
• Protected Species Observers: Third-party Protected Species Observers, trained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, monitor the waters for miles around each installation site. If a marine mammal is spotted, work stops. Only one turbine foundation is installed per day, which takes about two hours.
• Experts agree: Greenpeace, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Surfrider Foundation, the National Wildlife Federation and other groups have noted there is no link between whale deaths and offshore wind projects. Climate change and boat strikes are cited as the largest danger to marine mammals.
• Sonar surveys/seismic airgun testing: Sonar surveys on the site concluded in 2022. These surveys are considered harmless and are not included in marine-mammal based permitting or regulations. Seismic airgun tests are not required for offshore wind, like they are with oil or gas drilling.

What about other fish?

• Artificial reefs: Turbines create structure from the water surface down to the sea floor, allowing mussels, for example, to attach and create a nutrient cycle supportive of reef formation.
• Additional habitat: The OC Reef Foundation in Ocean City has been seeding adjacent waters with materials to create artificial reefs for nearly 30 years. As reefs have developed at other offshore wind farms, we expect this project to be no different.
• Recreational Fishing: Offshore wind farms are popular fishing spots in the United States and abroad. The additional habitat will take pressure off overfished reefs and wrecks in the same area.

What about commercial fishing operations?

• Ocean port: Worcester County, Maryland is the state’s only ocean port and home to its commercial fishing industry. US Wind has planned its construction and operation phases around maintaining commercial fishing there.
• Liaisons: US Wind has a team of liaisons in regular contact with both commercial and recreational fishing interests to ensure there are no conflicts between its operations and the timely delivery of a catch.

Any other advantages?

• Speed: The construction phase of an offshore wind farm is relatively short, at 2-4 years. The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates new nuclear plants’ construction phase at 6-10 years.
• Construction efficiency: Fossil fuel usage from turbine creation, transportation, installation, maintenance, and decommissioning over a turbine’s 25-year life cycle is offset within 1.5 months of use generating offshore wind.