Matthew Biss examines legislative moves regarding the safe siting and deployment of battery storage in California, the biggest market by state in the US.

Despite new state incentives for energy storage in New York, some independent power producers (IPP) are still struggling to make progress in the face of local opposition, permitting hurdles and moratoriums.

With Riverhead in Suffolk County, New York, dropping plans for a moratorium, Nala Renewables has advanced a standalone BESS proposal.

Equinor-owned East Point Energy has officially withdrawn plans to construct a 116MW standalone BESS in New York State.

The Board of Supervisors (BoS) of Orange County, California, has enacted an emergency moratorium on the approval of any new BESS facilities proposed for unincorporated areas of the county in order to protect the “health, safety and welfare” of its residents. 

In one of his final acts before leaving office, Washington governor Jay Inslee gave the green light for Innergex’s Wautoma Solar and Storage project.

Supervisors in the northern Iowa county of Cerro Gordo have passed an ordinance prohibiting the installation of new utility-scale solar, wind and BESS facilities located on land zoned for agricultural use. 

Hawthorne Renewable Energy has commenced permitting for a 300MW solar project co-located with a 300MW/1,200MWh BESS in Grant County, Washington.

NextEra Energy Resources (NEER) has become the next IPP to seek approval of a renewable energy development incorporating battery storage via the California Energy Commission’s (CEC’s) opt-in process, as permitted under Assembly Bill (AB) 205. 

Aura Power-ib vogt JV, along with Neoen, have recently submitted applications with the Alberta Utilities Commission to construct three projects with a 425MW/1,250MWh cumulative battery storage capacity.