Battery Storage Land Lease
As with other renewable energy projects like wind and solar, battery storage projects require dedicated land to house specialized infrastructure—in this case, battery units and related hardware. Battery storage project developers may need to lease or acquire land from private entities to procure a suitable site.
What is Battery Storage?
At New Era Land Services LLC, we like to think of battery storage as an innovative way to store the grid’s excess energy. Although frequently used in tandem with solar parks and wind farms, battery storage can also benefit traditional energy production facilities. For example, battery storage might help a coal power plant achieve a better utilization of resources by storing energy produced at night during temperate months. Proximity of the storage facility to the source is important for both traditional and renewable energy channels.
For a more detailed explanation of utility-scale energy storage, check out this helpful overview guide from The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Land-Related Considerations for Battery Storage
Generally speaking, land used for battery storage should be relatively flat and not part of a wetland. In addition, ISOs (Independent System Operators) or RTOs (Regional Transmission Organizations) set forth acreage and other land requirements for battery storage projects. For example, the Site Control Evidence Documentation Checklist from Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (MISO)—a transmission system operator for multiple Midwestern and Southern states—requires .1 acres per MW on battery storage projects. By comparison, MISO requires 50 acres per MW on wind projects.
Although battery storage acreage requirements may be less than wind or solar, developers may still choose to work with a company like New Era Land Services to support a variety of land-related needs:
Lease (or purchase) option agreement phase: Identifying and negotiating with landowners, working to execute land lease (or purchase) option agreements, keeping landowners informed.
Pre-operating phase: Providing landowners with updated production timelines, serving as a liaison between the developer and landowner.
Operating phase: Supporting land-related needs in advance of the go-live, assisting with future lease renewals.
Land Services for Battery Storage Projects
Contact New Era Land Services for help with your next battery storage project. We also support other renewable energy projects, including wind and solar.