Massachusetts authorities host public comment hearings for 800MWh of battery storage

• Programmers of 2 large-scale battery projects in Massachusetts have appeared prior to the public at hearings hosted by the state's Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB).

Comprising Medway Grid Battery Storage, a 250MW/500MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) and the Cranberry Point 150MW/300MWh BESS, Public Comment Hearings were held on 13 July and also 14 July respectively.

Both projects have actually asked for unique conditions to allow their development from the Energy Facilities Siting Board despite regional authority constraints, requesting for their authorization as being in the general public rate of interest.

Medway Grid LLC, a company established to establish the project that bears its name, was awarded a 250MW capacity contract by local power network operator ISO New England, to give capacity in the Southeastern New England capacity zone by June 2024.

Christina Wolf, head of advancement for the business, noted likewise that it will make a significant payment to conference Massachusetts' state objective of deploying 1,000 MWh of energy storage space by 2025. The Commonwealth is targeting net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) discharges from all industries of its economic situation by 2050.

While Massachusetts was a very early adopter among US states of a plan target for storage space (introduced as 200MWh by 2025 in 2017 as well as later upped), many battery storage space advancement has been focused on solar-plus-storage with the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) scheme with projects a lot smaller sized than Medway and Plus Power's proposals.

The state was also the very first in the US to present a Clean Peak Standard, which mandates a proportion of peak need must be satisfied from reduced emissions resources and more just recently is targeting significant offshore wind development off its coast, which would certainly call for a lot greater storage in addition to transmission capabilities.

Medway Grid was introduced by energy storage programmer Able Grid, the growth assets of which were acquired by facilities financier Eolian. Medway Grid submitted a petition to the EFSB in March to build the standalone BESS center and also a new electrical substation, near to an existing transmission hallway as well as attached directly to the transmission grid through utility Eversource's substation in Milford Street.

Wetlands professional Marc Bergeron of ecological permitting working as a consultant Epsilon provided in support of Medway Grid that building and construction on the project site would present restricted environmental influence because it is currently in-use land that was previously logged for timber.

Other points noted by Bergeron consisted of that there will be no strong or contaminated materials stream from operations which it will certainly have no impact on vegetated wetlands.

Tesla's Megapack BESS product has been chosen for the project. In terms of fire safety and security, Wolf said that the project is being made to meet standards including UL, NPFA and various other key accreditations as well as the driver will work with any type of emergency feedback prepares with local fire departments.

Town of Medway town supervisor Michael Boynton stated a draft arrangement has actually been signed with Medway Grid, which discussions and also dialogue around the project to day have actually been "favorable".

An additional town authorities, Todd Alessandri asked, with the system intended to be greatly unmanned as well as regulated and monitored remotely, how fast action times could be in the event of a fire. Andrew Kaplan, general guidance for Medway, said that in conversation with the local fire chief, the fire department would certainly be informed straight of any type of cases and that reaction times would certainly as a result be "instant".

There will certainly be a barrier of area in between the battery facility, its facilities and also existing vegetation, Kaplan claimed.

Among the first > 100MW BESS projects in MA

The following steps will certainly be to get EFSB approval, then the developer will transfer to get constructing allowing, experience the town's Conservation Commission, as well as agreeing monetary as well as organization terms with the town authorities.

Boynton kept in mind that Able Grid had come close to the town pre-COVID with its proposal for the site, picking the Milford Street location because of its proximity to transmission lines and the West Medway grid.

Nonetheless, to go on, the project needs to be exempted from local zoning laws. Something comparable is occurring with programmer Plus Power's Cranberry Point BESS proposal in Carver, another Massachusetts town regarding 80.5 kilometres from Medway.

Both towns have passed a postponement on the development of new large-scale battery centers till zoning laws to properly accommodate energy storage space can be presented, each lasting 11.5 months until March 2023. In the case of Cranberry Point, specific agreements were made to proceed with advancement prior to the towns introduced their postponements.

Medway Grid general guidance Andrew Kaplan-- an attorney with Pierce Attwood-- stated that as a facility of 100MW or better classified as a generation asset by ISO New England, state laws indicate the growth group had to file with the nine-member EFSB for authorization. The board includes presidents environment as well as land use firms in addition to energy sector specialists and also union agents.

You can watch both EFSB hearings completely on the Massachusetts Division of Public Utilities Public Hearing YouTube network, consisting of a broad variety of questions from visitors in the neighborhood community. Watch the Cranberry Point hearing right here and also the Medway project hearing here.