The Glenville Town Board has decided to impose a moratorium on battery energy storage systems. During a town board meeting on June 18, 2025, members unanimously agreed to a 120-day halt on applications for these systems, which are designed to store energy from power grids, solar farms, and wind turbines for future use.
Daniel Hill, chair of the town’s Environmental Conservation Commission, along with other commission members, proposed the moratorium. He explained that while battery energy storage systems can take various forms, the most common ones resemble self-storage facilities. “They store energy for when demand on the grid is higher, and then the energy is released back into the grid,” he noted. However, Hill emphasized that the town currently lacks the necessary regulations to manage these systems effectively. “We don’t have any regulations about where they can be located, their size, or the safety features they should include,” he said.
As the adoption of sustainable energy sources like solar and wind continues to rise, these battery storage systems are becoming increasingly prevalent. Councilor Michael Aragosa, a Democrat, mentioned that residents have started receiving inquiries from companies interested in leasing land for such installations. He advocated for a pause to evaluate best practices from other jurisdictions before developing local codes. “We need to take a pause, learn, and then come up with our own code,” he stated.
Aragosa also raised concerns about the readiness of local fire departments to respond to potential fires involving these systems. He questioned, “Are our fire departments prepared if one of these systems catches fire? We frequently see storage facilities ignite, and we need to ensure our local fire departments can manage those incidents.”
The rationale behind the moratorium, according to Aragosa, is straightforward: “We’re pausing to get a better handle on how to handle it going forward.” Acting Town Supervisor Robert Kirkham Jr. indicated that the town board would collaborate with the Environmental Conservation Commission and the Planning Department to develop regulations for new systems. “This will give us a great opportunity to examine not only the environmental risks but also the safety of our first responders and residents,” he explained.
Glenville’s moratorium aligns with similar actions taken by neighboring municipalities, including Rotterdam and Clifton Park, which have also enacted moratoriums on battery energy storage systems. Hill noted that the environmental commission would initiate discussions on developing new regulations for these systems that evening, highlighting the need to determine suitable locations for battery storage. “We need to decide whether these systems should be permitted in specific zoning areas or property types,” he concluded.
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