Battery energy storage is critical to create a reliable and modern electric grid that reduces our reliance on fossil fuels. This technology can support the electric grid by:

1. Providing the flexibility necessary to store excess energy generated from renewable energy sources during times of low demand and send it back to the grid when it’s needed most.

2. Helping provide back-up power during emergencies like blackouts from storms or heat waves, equipment failures, or accidents.

3. Stabilizing electricity costs by storing energy when the price of electricity is low and discharging that energy back onto the grid during peak demand.

4. Balancing power supply and demand instantaneously, which makes the electric grid more reliable, resilient, efficient, and cleaner than ever before.

Battery energy storage will also help achieve state and national clean energy goals.

Battery energy storage is developed by renewable energy developers. Storage systems can be built as stand-alone facilities or alongside existing renewable energy projects and have small footprints with minimal visual impacts.

Yes. New York is home to 5,000+ battery energy storage facilities. Fires at these facilities are rare, and developers and regulators in New York have already begun taking steps to mitigate risks by implementing enhanced safety protocols and emergency response plans – and reviewing and updating existing fire codes.

Battery energy storage systems are regulated at the federal, state, and local levels and must undergo rigorous safety testing to be authorized for installation. Every battery technology integrated into the electrical grid comes from a certified source and is required to comply with national fire protection standards that are frequently updated to incorporate the best practices for hazard mitigation tools and strategies. Battery energy storage systems must also comply with electrical and fire codes adopted at the state and local level.

No. While the underlying technology is largely the same, the conditions and scale at which these batteries are being used are very different. Further, e-bikes have few regulations regarding their use and safety, while battery energy storage facilities are highly regulated and held to national safety standards.

Unlike e-bike batteries, energy storage systems are equipped with sensors that track battery temperatures and enable storage facilities to turn off batteries if they get too hot or too cold.

Developers carefully design battery energy storage projects to fit into the surrounding landscape with minimal viewshed impact and are often located alongside other existing wind or solar projects. Behind the scenes, battery energy storage helps ensure homes and communities receive power when it’s needed most, including during peak demand and extreme weather events, while helping stabilize electricity costs.

No. In the rare case where fires do occur, they can be managed without endangering broader communities. The diverse system components that comprise the storage facilities have chemical and fire smoke data that can be utilized to determine the risks for each facility.

In normal operation, energy storage facilities do not release pollutants to the air or waterways.

No. In fact, battery energy storage will help stabilize electricity costs by supplementing the need for costly transmission upgrades and enabling more efficient use of renewable energy.