With proposals for battery energy storage systems (BESS) seeming to come out of the woodwork in Michigan, the City of Holland is preparing for the inevitable.
 
Senior City Planner Steve Peterson said at the Planning Commission Study Session on March 10, that following the City’s model ordinance, he’s been working on adding permitting for BESS. If a project application is submitted, he would like there to be a clear path forward.
 
As Peterson explained, since BESS aren’t always fields of containers, the ordinance also will cover battery storage designed for homeowners. BESS will be permitted and zoned by looking at factors such as purpose and number of megawatts.
 
Battery storage used to power a home or commercial business would be categorized as “accessory use,” just as solar panels in those capacities. An accessory-use BESS would be permitted in all zoning districts and would require a 25-foot setback.
 
One of BPW's substations is on the far southeast side of Holland in a low-density residential zone district. Adding a BESS to that substation would be categorized as accessory use, since it would be storing energy for that particular substation. However, the setback restriction would be adjusted to follow the fire code.
 
“Principal use” would be the term for systems storing energy for more than an adjacent facility. These BESS would be permitted as Special Land Use, allowed only in industrial zoning districts and with a 300-foot setback requirement from any residential home or occupancy building—just as for principal-use solar.

A substation falls under Essential Services and is exempt from restricted zoning. Peterson stressed that whatever rules the Planning Commission decides on, the intent should be to not cause BPW any issues.
 
Holland BPW General Manager Dave Koster was present at the meeting and shared that BPW is actively looking at BESS opportunities. He said there may be others looking as well because of the proximity within Holland to larger interconnections to high voltage systems. Koster encouraged the commissioners to make sure the ordinance is tightened before they consider new types of technologies.
 
With Michigan’s new legislation, Public Act 233, Koster said there’s not only preempting if a township doesn’t offer a compatible ordinance, but there are also significant additions to energy standards—pushing BPW and other utilities toward more intermittent resources like solar and wind. Battery storage, Koster explained, helps to make that intermittency more levelized.

As for a timeline, Koster said that if BPW moves forward, plans could be in place within the next year or so. BPW has been in talks with the City of Holland and Park Township and has engaged with a consulting firm regarding solar and BESS proposals—which principally would be connected to substations already in the industrial district.

According to Koster, the Commission should expect to see a growing interest among utilities looking at battery storage as part of an integrated solution for renewable clean energy standards.
 
The commissioners stated they anticipate push back from residents. With BESS likely to be a hot topic within the community, the Commission decided to have another study session before opening the conversation to residents in a public hearing.       
 
In the meantime, residents wanting to weigh in on the BESS discussion may contact the Planning Commission or Senior Planner Steve Peterson.

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