Fire Officials Push to Regulate Battery Storage Sites
- Media
- Feb 19
- 2 min read
The county’s fire officials are proposing new rules for battery storage projects that could put a damper on the region’s clean energy aspirations, reports MacKenzie Elmer.
SDG&E’s Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Microgrids outside the City of Escondido in unincorporated San Diego County on Sept. 5, 2024. / Ariana Drehsler for Voice of San Diego
The Fire Protection Control District is set to vote today (12.10.24) on the new regulations that would force builders of such projects to place batteries 10-feet apart from each other and require them to put a 100-foot buffer on all sides from the property line.
Fire officials say this would increase safety and give firefighters a better shot at putting out fires.
The distance requirements would result in smaller projects that would “render the project infeasible,” green energy builders argue. The county fire officials are proposing regulations that are stricter than the state’s fire codes.
“(It will) negatively impact our ability to meet our regional renewable energy and resiliency goals while also negatively impacting our regional economy,” one builder told Elmer.
Source: MacKenzie Elmer | December 10, 2024 | Voice of San Diego
Editor's Note—This is an older article from late 2024 but has a lot of good information within.
For a better understanding of the new AB 303 Assembly Bill that was approved, read Understanding AB 303: Potential Impacts for California BESS Project Development by Chris A. Kolosov, Whitney Hodges and Brooke Miller of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Mathew Valerio was scheduled to present on the Geranium BESS Project Minor Use Permit (PDS2024-ZAP-24-003) project proposed for San Miguel Road. He was unable to attend and will likely be on the March 4, 2025 Sweetwater Community Planning Group agenda. Watch SCS for further information.
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