Eagle Energy To Purchase Power and Resell Same Power Back to ConEd - Part 4

What can the solution be that will serve the Town and its residents the best way possible regarding energy storage units in our Town? Several things come to mind, including developing Energy Storage laws, a Citizens Committee to administrate the application and approval process for proposals of energy storage locations poised and ready to be submitted, in progress and operational or soon-to-go online. Of course, anything that might be put in place could easily be compromised by Mr Feiner and his Town Board, negating any real hope of positive change for the Town. How so you ask? He could go back to his cadre of hand-picked submissives he routinely uses on committees who will do his bidding under the guise of their own genuine concern.

There is a Battery Energy Storage System Model Law Guidebook for Local Governments that exists from NYSERDA, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The Model Law is designed to help local government officials and Authority’s Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) adopt legislation and regulations to responsibly accommodate battery energy storage systems in their communities. The Model Law lays out procedural frameworks and substantive requirements for residential, commercial, and utility-scale battery energy storage systems. So there it is, a no-brainer solution for Mr Feiner, his Town Board and the Town legal department to create and adopt a law regarding battery power storage.

This Model Law references a “Battery Energy Storage System Model Permit” that is available as part of NYSERDA’s Battery Energy Storage Guidebook. The Model Permit is intended to help local government officials and AHJs establish the minimum submittal requirements for electrical and structural plan review that are necessary when permitting residential and small commercial battery energy storage systems.

The Model Law isn’t intended to be adopted precisely as it is written. It’s simply a guide. A municipality is not required to adopt this Model Law. Municipal officials are urged to seek legal advice from their attorneys before enacting a battery energy storage system law. Municipalities must carefully consider how the language in this Model Law may be modified to suit local conditions, comprehensive plans, and existing land use and zoning provisions.

Interestingly, it’s noted that before enacting this Model Law, a comprehensive plan outlining the goals and policies for the installation, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of battery energy storage systems must be adopted by the local governing board (city or common council, town board, village board of trustees). Some local governing boards can satisfy this requirement by updating an existing comprehensive plan while others must adopt a new comprehensive plan. And while our Comprehensive Plan morphed from a Comp Plan to a political document addressing things that really didn’t matter, it’s an opportunity to right that wrong as well.

There are several other considerations that municipalities should adhere to, including but not limited to, adopting a resolution or policy statement that outlines a strategy for municipal-wide battery energy storage system development. The Town should appoint a Battery Energy Storage Task Force (“Task Force”) that represents all interested stakeholders, including residents, businesses, interested non-profit organizations, the battery energy storage industry, utilities, and relevant municipal officials and staff. The Town should prepare an action plan, adopt or amend a comprehensive plan to include battery energy storage system planning goals and actions, and develop local laws and/or other regulations to ensure the orderly development of battery energy storage system projects with the Task Force being apprised during the development and planning phases of these projects.

The Task Force should conduct meetings on a community-wide basis to involve all key stakeholders, gather all available ideas, identify divergent groups and views, and secure support from the entire community. The Task Force should also conduct studies and determine whether existing policies, plans, and land use regulations require amendments to remove barriers to and facilitate battery energy storage system development goals.

The Town’s Battery laws should always incorporate and establish a training program for first responders, local staff and land use boards. Municipalities are encouraged to utilize State and Federal technical assistance and grants for training programs when available. This should all happen as a partnership with adjacent communities to adopt compatible policies, plan components, and zoning provisions for battery energy storage system projects.

For a change, the Town is in the unique position to do the right thing for all involved. While we are not confident that will happen, we are hopeful that Mr Feiner’s Town Board is less concerned for him to foot their campaign costs and stand up for the residents. During each campaign we hear them all say, “I will fight for you.” And, once in office, they forget who we are. This has to change. To that end, the Planning Board and the Council of Greenburgh Civic Associations have filed appeals questioning the Building Inspector’s interpretation of the Town Zoning Ordinance in connection with the proposed Knollwood Country Club project. The appeals will be heard by the ZBA on February 18, 2021.This is a first step in the right direction. Maybe now we can get closer to getting A Better Greenburgh.

Eagle Energy To Purchase Power and Resell Same Power Back to ConEd - Part 3

So, we’ve laid out in the two previous articles that Mr Feiner will invariably ensure success for another non-resident, outside developer with a proposal that not only has no boundaries, but promises nothing for the Town except for a few fees and a minute amount of tax revenue as they seek to have a direct underground connection with the ConEd substation in Elmsford next to Bed Bath and Beyond. The link will go to their currently proposed battery storage array setup they are proposing on the Knollwood Country Club. 

While seeking more information, we learned that there are two additional applications for solar powered battery storage to be built in Greenburgh on Central Avenue. As far as we can tell, the difference between these applications is that the Knollwood Country Club proposal is fed with direct power from ConEd and is not impinging on residential housing. The other is intended to be put in the Greenville and Midway Shopping Centers behind the buildings but nearer to residences. Apparently, these two will be solar powered energy storage units similar to what has already been installed at 660 Tarrytown Road, Tarrytown & 555 Taxter Rd , Elmsford.

While digging into this Knollwood Country Club debacle – debacle because Mr Feiner has suggested a compromise only after the Knollwood Country Club proposal gets its approval, we learned that these other proposals are similar but different and are being requested by IPP Solar based on the current installations at 660 Tarrytown Road.& 555 Taxter Rd.

They are now seeking to install 2 more energy storage units comparable to what was installed in the West Elmsford section of Greenburgh. Designated by some as Greenburgh’s wild, wild west, this is an area bereft of zoning adherence or concern to neighborhood concerns and plights. It’s where Mr Feiner ignored the Glenville Civic Association’s concerns about Stop and Shop and later, Brightview Assisted Living. It’s too bad for them that one of the Town Council members didn’t live there. Then they never would have been built.

Regardless, these energy companies are seeking to install storage array units seemingly throughout the Town. We haven’t heard of any other communities being saddled with these, so it appears once again that Mr Feiner’s Developer Open Invitation policy is starting to spread as more and more outsiders look to install money making devices in our Town without much if anything coming back to the taxpayer. So regardless of how they are acquiring the energy, they will be making money simply by selling it back to ConEd at a higher price.

At 660 White Plains Road, the unit itself sits in what might be considered the flow of traffic for the office building - it’s in front of or the Marriott Hotel nearby (see picture). Surrounded by posts to stop vehicles from coming into contact with it.

 

 

 

While another “done deal” is quickly materializing, Mr Feiner has promised a proposal to issue a Moratorium on applications for battery energy storage systems, solar farms and wind turbines. Make no mistake, this is no compromise nor does it address the battery storage system that he is pushing to install in the Knollwood Country Club property! Why isn’t it a compromise? Here’s what he “proposed” about how his Town Board shall proceed (our highlights in red):

1) We accomodate [sic] Knollwood by stating that, if a special permit has satisfactory conditions regarding the environment, public safety and absolute restriction on any further battery energy storage facilities on the land now owned by Knollwood, then the Town Board does not see any reason that the application cannot move forward at this time. 

2) Most importantly for the community, the Town is providing immediate notice that a moratorium may be imposed. Potential applicants are on notice as of today, December 29, 2020, that they could be subject to the moratorium on any and all applications for battery and energy storage facilities, solar farms and wind turbines.
… The moratorium will have a fixed date and not be subject to renewal. This is in response to concerns some people had that moratoriums tend to get extended. My goal is not to delay… 

As is so typical for Mr Feiner, rather than protect the environment, the residents and ultimately the Town, he’s doing his usual double-speak rope-a-dope to appear as though he cares. When, in reality, all he truly cares about is the developer. This has to change. Only then, will we get A Better Greenburgh.

 

Eagle Energy To Purchase Power & Resell It Back To ConEd - Part 2

Arizona fire highlights challenges for energy storage 

While we remain confident that Mr Feiner will “green light” the Eagle Energy Battery Storage system on the Knollwood Country Club property by whatever means possible, there are still many lingering and unanswered questions. We touched on the firematic side of things in our previous article. We’d like to continue with that as we’ve discovered more information than originally thought. Specifically, an article written and published by Jonathan Cooper for the AP News, entitled Arizona Fire Highlights Challenges For Energy Storage, about an Arizona fire in an energy storage facility. The unit in question has only 4 individual units compared to the one for the Knollwood Country Club, which consists of 7.

The Arizona Public Service has been an early adopter of battery storage technology seen as critical for the wider deployment of renewable energy and for a more resilient power grid. But an April fire and explosion at a massive battery site west of Phoenix that sent eight firefighters and a police officer to the hospital highlighted the challenges and risks that can arise as utilities prepare for the exponential growth of the technology.

“This is getting attention, and I think everyone realizes that too many safety incidents ... will be detrimental going forward,” said George Crabtree, director of the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, a partnership of national laboratories, universities and companies funded by the U.S. Energy Department. “So I think it’s being taken very seriously.” These people are experts. Mr Feiner is not, nor chooses enlightenment from experts. And, to assume (we know) his decisions will err on the side of caution and safety, past experience proves that not to be the case.

Utility-scale batteries such as these are massive versions of the same lithium ion technology that can be found powering cellphones and laptops. When the batteries in these devices get too hot, a fire can start and trigger a phenomenon known as thermal runaway, in which the fire feeds on itself and is nearly impossible to stop until it consumes all the available fuel. According to Jay Apt, of the Carnegie Mellon University’s Electricity Industry Center, “Anytime you store a lot of energy in a small space you’ve got to be very cognizant of the controls that you have to put in place so that energy doesn’t get out when you don’t want it to,”

There have been three fires in similar setups owned by APS, causing them to continue pushing forward with their plans to develop more facilities. This issue has grown in severity and has been recognized by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to the point where they have developed an online training course for first responders. Mr Feiner may not care about the safety of our first responders but this issue is too serious to ignore. Apparently he doesn't care.

The Town Board held a Special Meeting where Mr Feiner decided to create a moratorium on all future similar proposals until a decision could be made at another meeting. Just not the Knollwood Country Club proposal. His excuse was that he wanted to be fair to the Knollwood Country Club. Baloney! In a difficult financial year, which still has the Edgemont Incorporation hanging over his head like mistletoe at a Santa's Village, we’re sure he’s still starry-eyed by the suggestion of being able to get $30,000 to $50,000 in property tax payments from this. Just because someone makes a proposal doesn't mean it has to be acted upon immediately or in fact, at all. Doing business the right way will help to make for A Better Greenburgh.

Eagle Energy To Purchase ConEd Power & Resell It Back To ConEd - Part 1

There is a push into Greenburgh by a shell corporation called Eagle Energy Storage, apparently doing business as Strata Solar, whose tagline is Making Solar Work. Naturally, as long as Mr Feiner sees the word ‘solar’ or ‘green’ or ‘bio-anything,’ somewhere in the name, he’s all in. What this company is seeking to do is not so simple. And, there is a move afoot by Mr Feiner to “green light” this project without even having a law or code in place or in our Comprehensive Plan on governing these types of projects. And, apparently there are more in the pipeline.

What we’ve learned thus far is that the applicant is apparently a shell company seeking to build a battery storage structure on a portion of the Knollwood Country Club property. Then they will capture energy in the off-hours when power is cheaper in the mornings and evenings when demand and prices rise and resell that same stored power, generated by ConEd and others, back to ConEd when the rates are higher. 

 

Aided by Mr Feiner who appears to be trying to get this application through the process before any code or law is adopted by the Town (ostensibly by Mr Feiner and his Board), this proposal is fraught with unanswered issues that should be addressed before anything moves forward with this project. So much so that there is a prepared paper with answers to some of them.

One issue is that Mr Feiner and others queried the financial benefits to the town. Specifically, how much property taxes will this generate? Property taxes applicable to the project will ultimately be determined by the tax code and the judgement of the Town Assessor. This is a sneaky way to say, “Your guess is as good as ours.” The Strata Solar team estimates that the project may ultimately pay $30k-$50k per year in property taxes over the life of the project (up to $1.5mm over 30 years). Reread that sentence. It says MAY, not WILL. The actual number will be determined in coordination with the Town Assessor. This is lawyer-speak for, “We don’t have a clue.” 

But since specifics have never been a hallmark of any of the Feiner administrations, they’ll contend that this doesn’t really matter. In fact, you’ll recall the ESCO that Mr Feiner placed every resident and small business into after he promised individual savings of $400 to $600 dollars a year? Not only were his figures never able to be substantiated, it turns out that everyone in the ESCO paid more for the power transmission costs than had they simply stayed with ConEd!

An issue was asked by a Town Councilperson who asked what would happen if the lines between the battery array and the Elmsford substation went down. We wanted to confirm that the battery project could in no way negatively impact the Town’s power supply. Really? Let’s actually examine two small pieces of this pie. First, the substation in question (next to Bed Bath and Beyond) has had minor issues through the years but has never actually “been down” at any point. Second, the plan is to run power lines from the substation underground and on existing poles to the Country Club. This would be no different than any other power lines on a pole. And since the battery array seems to be nothing more than a Ponzi Scheme to sell power back to its supplier, there should be no impact to the local power supply, the grid or the region. In fact, we lose power in our area more often due to fallen trees throughout the Town during storms and other weather events.

Another question was about fire department response should there be a fire at one or more of these 7 proposed units. By the way, the proposed 7 units, which could easily be increased later with more petitions from the developer. Naturally, the Town Board would approve their excuse for by-passing any subsequent code changes/requirements as they should be considered “grandfathered” as their unit was installed pre-code change. Regardless, the Authority-Having-Jurisdiction (AHJ) is the ever-capable Elmsford Fire Department. 

While the Elmsford FD is an all-volunteer department, the developer proposes any fire as only taking three-and-a-half hours to burn off. What they failed to mention is that battery fires aren’t so much about the fire, but the heat generated and keeping the units cooled off. They don’t say how long that will take, but they also mention that the second fire department who would be called to respond is the Fairview Fire Department. Interesting how they would presume that the Fairview FD would be the next department called? They also state that they have met with Chief Malone of the Elmsford Fire Department on site, and he has submitted a letter supporting the project. While we don’t doubt that Chief Malone signed off on this nor did anything wrong, but full disclosure is that he is a retired Deputy Chief of the Fairview FD. 

Make no mistake about it, for all of the lipstick being put on this proposal, for all of the upstate to downstate power considerations, for all of the solar comments (of which this project has none), of all of the clean energy issues mentioned and especially the lack of regulations and/or codes in place, the Town should slow this train down and not allow this project to move forward until numerous conditions are put in place. That’s how we can make sure to have A Better Greenburgh.