Battery storage moratorium pending in Wilson
The Wilson town board may impose a moratorium on the development of renewable energy systems that utilize battery storage. The Wilson town board is considering a 12-month moratorium on the development of renewable energy systems that use battery storage. The moratorium would halt the processing of any applications for permits related to “utility grade” solar energy projects that have battery energy storage systems. Town attorney Kyle Andrews described the proposed moratorium as a "preemptive" move while the town board establishes a policy on battery storage, which other local municipalities have also taken similar action. The proposed moratorium is expected to be presented at a public hearing on June 19.
Publicados : 4 semanas atrás por Thomas Tedesco | [email protected] no Environment
The Wilson town board may impose a moratorium on the development of renewable energy systems that utilize battery storage.
The board is currently weighing a 12-month halt to town processing of any applications for permits related to “utility grade” solar energy projects that have battery energy storage systems.
“This was kind of an emerging area the towns are dealing with as this technology changes,” town attorney Kyle Andrews said.
While there are no such current sites or proposed projects utilizing battery storage in the town, Andrews described the proposed moratorium as a “preemptive” move while the town board looks to spell out a policy on battery storage.
“In this case municipalities across the state are putting forward moratoriums not to prohibit exterior utility grade battery systems but so that their planning boards in conjunction with their town engineers can promulgate some kind of codes on these,” he said.
Town supervisor Tony Evans said the board is considering action on battery storage systems that other local municipalities, including the Town of Royalton, took in the wake of a July 2023 incident in Lyme, Jefferson County, where four lithium battery storage trailers caught fire at a Convergent Energy solar installation.
“So we had conversation about trying to establish some kind of moratorium on battery storage units,” Evans said.
Andrews said he has presented a draft of the proposed local law that would institute the moratorium to the town board. The board anticipates holding a public hearing on the measure at its June 19 business meeting.
Tópicos: Electric Vehicles, Energy Storage