Proposed battery energy storage code draws questions, criticism at public hearing
Author: Denise Civiletti
A proposed code that would regulate the siting and operation of battery energy storage systems in the Town of Riverhead got its first public hearing Tuesday night at Town Hall. The systems store energy for distribution at a later time. They are typically developed to increase the effectiveness of renewable energy production such as solar energy facilities. The systems allow energy from renewables, like solar and wind, to be stored and then released later to meet customer demand. Currently, the town code does not regulate the siting and operation of the systems, a relatively new technology that makes utility-scale renewable energy more feasible. There are at least two applications for battery energy storage systems already filed with the planning department, although the use is not permitted by the town code. EC Battery Storage filed a site plan application in February, 2022 for a 1.6-acre industrially zoned site at 104 Edwards Avenue in Calverton, adjacent to the railroad track. Riverhead Energy filed a site plan application in July for a 3.6-acre residentially zoned site at 95 Mill Road in Riverhead, just north of the railroad track.