New York’s First Bulk Energy Storage Request for Proposals
Authored by: Jacqueline Fusco & Rachel Henke
Developers and clean energy investors now have a major opportunity to secure long-term revenue through New York State’s first bulk energy storage solicitation. Announced by Governor Kathy Hochul on July 28, 2025, this Request for Proposals (RFP) invites participants to compete for 15- to 25-year contracts supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA’s) market-based Index Storage Credit (ISC) incentive. Projects will be credited and compensated based on the operational availability they achieve in each month over the course of the contracts. This initial procurement seeks 1 gigawatt (GW) of bulk energy storage capacity and marks the first phase in a three-part effort to secure 3 GW of storage statewide under New York’s 6 GW Energy Storage Roadmap.
This announcement comes just weeks after New Jersey advanced its own energy storage goals. On June 18, 2025, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) approved Phase 1 of the Garden State Energy Storage Program (GSESP), which is a competitive framework aiming to deploy 2,000 MW of storage by 2030. Together, these developments signal growing momentum for clean energy infrastructure across the region.
New York’s RFP directly supports New York’s renewable energy and decarbonization goals by facilitating the deployment of large-scale energy storage systems designed to reduce costs, enhance transmission efficiency, strengthen grid infrastructure, and improve system reliability and resilience. Importantly, this solicitation places new emphasis on fire safety and explosion control design and requires compliance with updated energy storage safety codes adopted last week by the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council. These codes take effect January 1, 2026.
Eligible projects must:
- Use electrical, chemical, mechanical, or thermoelectric storage technologies.
- Be capable of storing energy for later discharge to the electric grid.
- Deliver a minimum of 5 megawatts (MWac) of power.
- Be directly connected to New York’s transmission, sub-transmission, or distribution network (not behind-the-meter).
Projects co-located with existing or in-development renewable energy systems may also qualify, provided the renewable component has not received a Tier 1 Renewable Energy Certificate or Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credit contract with storage.
How Roux Can Help
Roux offers regulatory insight and environmental expertise to help transform your energy storage concept into a viable, fundable project. Our team supports developers and investors across the lifecycle of battery storage deployment from early-stage screening to regulatory navigation and permitting.
Our services include:
- Site Screening & Environmental Due Diligence: We help identify environmental constraints early through Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessments, ecological surveys, and cultural resource reviews to streamline your path to project viability and reduce project risk.
- Permitting & Regulatory Strategy: Whether your project falls under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, Article 94-c, or faces local zoning challenges, Roux can guide you through the complexities of the permitting process.
- Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Use Planning: Our team specializes in helping developers repurpose underutilized and contaminated properties into productive clean energy sites through remediation and sustainable design.
Click the link below to connect with key members of our Battery Energy Storage team and explore how Roux can support your next project and maximize your ability to benefit from this landmark opportunity in New York.
