# States Consider Long-Duration Storage Procurements

Lithium-ion’s commercial maturity and financing track record are helping it dominate energy-storage procurement, even though longer-duration systems may better address multi-day grid needs. State legislative sessions and regulatory dockets opening in early 2027 could create procurement opportunities or carve-outs for storage systems lasting eight hours or more. For contractors, the opportunity depends on demonstrating project bankability, viable revenue mechanisms, and reliable performance—key hurdles for longer-duration technologies competing with established lithium-ion systems.

- Companies pursuing long-duration storage should prepare to engage with state legislative sessions and regulatory dockets opening in early 2027, where procurements or carve-outs may be considered.
- Proposals should address the identified barriers: financing and bankability, revenue models, and demonstrated system performance.
- This signals a potential market for eight-hour-plus storage, but not a confirmed solicitation or award; contractors should distinguish prospective policy activity from funded procurement.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Energy & Utilities
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure
**Published:** November 02, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia)
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

### Key Quotes
> I’m better off using that long duration storage system to meet my high demand needs than I am using the peaker to meet my high demand needs.
> — Jeremy Twitchell, Senior energy analyst, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

> This [expansion] is driven mainly by the utility sector, which will make up about 85% of installations between 2026 and 2031.
> — Will McNamara, Grid energy policy analyst, Sandia National Laboratories

### Sources
- [Is long-duration energy storage procurement a hostage to lithium-ion’s success? - pv magazine USA](https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/11/02/is-long-duration-energy-storage-procurement-a-hostage-to-lithium-ions-success) - pv magazine USA