; and (B) efficient use of the electricity grid through— (i) peak load reduction; or (ii) avoided investments in traditional grid infrastructure; (2) to increase the commercial viability of long-duration energy storage technologies; (3) (A) to identify the range of services that long-duration energy storage technologies can provide to the electricity grid; and (B) to the maximum extent practicable, to quantify the value of those services; (4) to investigate challenges to the greater deployment of long-duration energy storage technologies; (5) to identify and develop a range of technology types; and (6) to improve the integration of energy storage and the grid. (d) Selection of projects To the maximum extent practicable, in selecting demonstration projects to participate in the Initiative, the Director of ARPA–E shall— (1) ensure a range of technology types; (2) ensure regional diversity among projects, including appropriate representation of rural areas; (3) consider microgrid, islanded, or off-grid applications; and (4) ensure that any project selected is designed to achieve one or more of the goals described in subsection (c). (e) Cooperation with electric utilities A demonstration project selected to participate in the Initiative may be carried out in cooperation with the electric utility that owns the grid facilities in the electricity control area in which the demonstration project is carried out. (f) Joint program (1) Establishment As part of the Initiative, the Director of ARPA–E, in consultation with the Director of ESTCP, shall establish within the Department of Energy a joint program to carry out projects— (A) to demonstrate promising long-duration energy storage technologies at different scales