STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New York City has been grappling with extreme heat and stormy weather for several weeks, which has put significant strain on the energy grid and led to numerous blackouts across the five boroughs.
Despite these challenges, battery energy proponents highlight the positive impact of several operational battery energy storage systems (BESS) throughout the city, claiming they contribute approximately 3% of the daily electrical supply.
Tim Dumbleton, COO of MicroGrid Networks, emphasized the importance of these systems during a recent media tour of their facility in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
“New York City is consuming power at a very uneven rate,” Dumbleton stated.
He elaborated on how battery storage can shift peak demand and flatten the consumption curve, thereby unlocking unused capacity in the existing grid.
To support his claims, Dumbleton showcased a series of charts and graphs illustrating the positive effects of battery storage on the stressed electrical grid.
Data from the New York Independent System Operator, the entity responsible for managing New York’s electric grid, indicated that solar and other energy storage resources contributed approximately 600 MW of the city’s estimated 20,000 MW daily generation in recent weeks.
Dumbleton noted the unique challenges faced by New York City’s electrical infrastructure, which operates 85% below grade.
He explained that while one option to increase the grid’s capacity would involve massive and costly street renovations to lay more wires, enhancing the efficiency of the existing infrastructure could be a more viable solution.
To address these challenges, dozens of additional BESS sites are currently under construction throughout the city.
These battery systems are designed to store electrical energy and release it during peak demand periods or outages, acting as essential backup power sources.
However, on Staten Island, where these units are being constructed close to homes and businesses, there are rising concerns regarding safety and the character of local neighborhoods.
Over the past two years, residents and local officials have expressed their apprehensions about the proposed sites.
Community Boards have voted against the placement of batteries near bakeries and storefronts, and some elected officials have even issued a moratorium on applications filed in residential districts.
In one notable case, an energy developer withdrew plans to install battery systems in the parking lot of a church in Bulls Head.
Despite these concerns, representatives from MicroGrid are working to address local apprehensions about safety.
Paul Rogers, a retired FDNY lieutenant and owner of the Energy Safety Response Group, which has collaborated with MicroGrid on safety measures, emphasized the stringent safety regulations in place for battery installations in the city.
“New York has the strictest safety rules in the country when it comes to these battery installations; in fact, states like California are looking at New York City to update their own standards,” Rogers stated during the tour.
Rogers further indicated that since the initial installation in 2018, there have been no failures, attributing this success to strict adherence to codes, standards of care, and effective communication.
He noted that the rigorous testing of battery systems ensures that even in the rare event of a failure, it would not result in catastrophic consequences.
The Grand Street Energy Storage site in Williamsburg, which is built in a flood zone and located adjacent to the Bayside Fuel Oil Depot Corporation, serves as one of MicroGrid’s operational facilities.
This 5 MW energy storage site has been supplying stored energy for Con Edison for at least 18 months.
Con Ed recognizes Grand Street as a non-wired solution asset that has participated in demand response initiatives during periods of high demand.
In contrast, Con Edison operates only three battery storage units in the entirety of New York City; these sites are located in Rosebank, Ozone Park, Queens, and Brownsville, Brooklyn.
MicroGrid operates two battery sites currently, with plans for significant expansion.
Before 2028, the company aims to add an additional 12 systems concentrated on reducing outages and enhancing grid performance to meet the demands posed by climate-driven extremes.
Dumbleton reiterated the necessity for modernization of the city’s power grid, especially given the recent trends in power consumption, which have consistently grown by one to two percent over the past 30 years.
“That’s why we are building a whole bunch more of these sites throughout New York City,” he concluded.
image source from：silive
