Battery Right-2-Know
If a big battery project is proposed in or near your community, you have a right to know why it is there and what the risks are. Here are some facts to help you get the answers you need:
Why build this big battery project here and now?
Many proposed battery projects have no clear justification. The present Government wants to move to a wind and solar plus batteries energy system over the next couple of decades but that does not justify the present proposal to allow for large battery buildouts near you. As technology evolves, and land use comes into consideration, these projects could quickly become obsolete if the next Government sees the issues differently.
Some people are claiming that adding expensive batteries will somehow save you money but that is not true. Adding the cost of battery storage cannot lower the cost of a product. Many battery projects just make money for their owners. Buying low and selling high, which you pay.
You should ask that someone from the local utility explains just why these big batteries are needed here and needed right now in a rapidly evolving energy climate. Do not accept vague answers about an energy transition or saving money. Ask for specifics. Do not accept the word of people from the Government or the battery builders. They are advocates for the project. Ask for the opinion of the Fire Chief, since the potential for a battery fire is real.
Keep in mind that Massachusetts imports more than half of its electricity. This amount can easily be increased so a need for more electricity does not justify these proposed big batteries.
What are the risks and what can be done about them?
These big batteries can ignite or even explode all by themselves. These are chemical fires that cannot be put out with water. They have to burn themselves out over a period of hours or even days. Thousands of gallons of water are required to try to prevent the fire from spreading to other batteries, creating a full-scale fire.
A full-scale fire with all the batteries in a system burning cannot be ruled out so it must be prepared for. Here are some key questions to ask.
If there is a full-scale fire:
Who will have to evacuate?
Who will shelter in place?
How will we be told when to do this?
How will we know what to do?
How much time will we have?
How long before we can return to normal?
Where will the water come from?
How will contaminated runoff be handled?
In preparation for a possible full-scale fire:
Which fire departments might be involved? How will they be trained to handle this dangerous situation?
What police, medical personnel, etc., might also be involved? How will they be trained?
What should residents do to prepare for