Officials in Greenville are considering a proposal to build a battery energy storage facility at a former steam plant.
The project, which was pitched to the town select board last week by the New York-based startup Ground Floor Energy, aims to stabilize the local energy grid. Selectmen allowed Ground Floor to go ahead with a pre-application for a grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission, a government agency that funds rural economic development projects.
The local green light is a first step for a major energy project. It is an example of Maine working toward its goal of expanding battery storage capacity despite President Donald Trump’s hard turn against many forms of alternative energy, including offshore wind technology that has been central to Gov. Janet Mills’ ambitious goals in this policy area.
Much remains unclear about the project, which is still in its earliest stages. There are already seven battery storage facilities that have more than 230 megawatts of capacity, approaching a state goal of 400 megawatts by 2030.
The proposed structure would be housed in Greenville’s former steam plant, which has since been turned into a biochar production facility owned by the local company Clean Maine Carbon. Biochar, a charcoal-like fertilizer made from burning wood material at high temperatures, is considered a green alternative to other fertilizers because it sequesters carbon.
The burning process also creates steam, which can power a turbine to generate electricity, something Clean Maine Carbon cites on its website as a benefit, though the company does not currently generate electricity and has no active plans to do so.
Building a battery on the site could help stabilize the local grid. Battery facilities are often meant to make renewable energy projects like wind and solar power more viable by storing up electricity for high demand periods.
Representatives of Ground Floor could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. The company has a website that is not yet up and running.
Town Manager Mike Roy said that a Clean Maine Carbon official had put the town in touch with Ground Floor, it’s not clear how involved the company is with the project or how it may benefit from the battery facility to share the space. Clean Maine Carbon President Patrick Jones said he was not working directly on the project.
“We’ve got 100 acres,” he said. “If it works, the town likes it, everybody’s happy, then let’s see if we can’t do something in Greenville that’s positive.”
If the Northern Border Regional Commission approves of the project, it can then invite a more detailed application. If Ground Floor’s project reaches that step, it will need to return to the select board for further discussion, Roy said.
Daniel O’Connor is a Report for America corps member who covers rural government as part of the partnership between the Bangor Daily News and The Maine Monitor, with additional support from BDN and Monitor readers.
