Syracuse, N.Y. -- A renewable energy company is seeking approval to install two 10,000-square foot battery systems on East Brighton Avenue in Syracuse, the first of their type in the city and a sign of New York’s changing electric grid.
The battery energy storage systems together would store enough electricity for 6,000 to 7,000 homes. They charge up at night while demand for electricity is at its lowest and can be called on during periods of peak daytime usage. They can supply power for up to four hours.
The Syracuse planning commission gave preliminary approval Monday night to the developer, Troy-based New Leaf Energy. But final approval will depend on the Common Council, which has not yet considered a special use permit required for the project.
Before the council vote, New Leaf officials plan to meet with area residents, said Terrence Nolan, senior project developer. Nolan has asked to meet with a couple of neighborhood groups and with councilors who represent nearby areas.
The proposed site is 426 E. Brighton Ave., a paved lot next to a small National Grid substation. The lot is zoned commercial, with no residential properties nearby. The utility’s substation would be upgraded as part of the project, Nolan said.
New York officials several months ago authorized a new round of financial incentives to encourage the development of battery systems, which can increase the reliability of the electric grid. They also reduce the need for so-called “peaker” plants – inefficient generating facilities fueled by natural gas or oil that typically run only when demand for electricity is extremely high.
New Leaf plans to install two lithium-ion battery systems side by side. Each unit contains modules the size of shipping containers inside a fenced area covering 10,000 square feet. Each has a capacity of 5 megawatts, which means it can discharge roughly 20,000 kilowatt-hours before being recharged. An average household uses about 650 kilowatt-hours per month.
New York officials are making a new push to distribute battery systems two years after a series of fires raised safety concerns and spurred changes to the fire code.
State fire prevention officials recently approved new safety regulations for lithium-ion battery installations. The changes were triggered by three fires at battery energy storage systems in 2023 in New York. The fires occurred in Jefferson, Orange and Suffolk counties. In each case, they took a day or more to extinguish.
Gov. Kathy Hochul convened a fire safety working group in response to the fires to examine battery facilities and recommend new regulations. After analyzing air quality, soil, and water data collected in the days following the incidents, the working group found no harmful levels of toxins and said there were no known injuries, Hochul reported.
Improved fire safety requirements – including 24/7 remote monitoring, built-in fire suppression, fireproof cabinets and other changes -- have made the battery units safer, Nolan said.
“The technology has actually significantly improved in that regard,’’ Nolan told the planning commission. His company is working on a site-specific emergency response plan with city fire officials.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has encouraged development of battery systems for several years, but most of those installations occurred downstate. NYSERDA unveiled new financial incentives recently, hoping to spread the technology statewide.
Each 5 MW battery energy storage system, or BESS, typically costs $10 million to $15 million to build, said Sam Jasinski, New Leaf Energy’s senior director of project development in New York. NYSERDA’s current incentive is expected to pay about $150 per kilowatt-hour, Nolan said. If so, that would cover roughly $3 million of the upfront cost.
New York currently has about 1.4 gigawatts of battery storage either built or under contract. To accommodate a growing electric system, NYSERDA plans to have 6 gigawatts by 2030 and 12 GW by 2035.
Staff writer Tim Knauss can be reached at:email|Twitter| 315-470-3023.
