The Power of Battery Energy Storage Systems

By Georgia Good

New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act calls for 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040 and mandates reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85% from 1990 levels by 2050. Meanwhile, energy demand is skyrocketing – by as much as  by 50-90% in the next twenty years, according to the NY Independent Systems Operator. And while we’re trying to modernize and strengthen our grid, we must also adapt to increasingly extreme weather and protect public health. 

As demand rises, the challenge isn’t only generating more electricity — it’s making sure that power is available exactly when New Yorkers need it. Battery energy storage systems help balance the grid by storing energy for peak periods, reducing strain on the system and making the transition to a cleaner, more reliable grid possible.

What does all this mean? 

It means that we need more clean energy – and the ability to store it, for when it’s needed most. That means we need battery energy storage systems (BESS). 

What are battery energy storage systems?

Essentially, BESS are giant power banks for homes, business, and communities. They capture and store solar and wind and other cleaner energy when there’s excess supply, and release it during periods of peak demand, like summer heatwaves, and when the grid is vulnerable, like when storms hit. 

These systems reduce reliance on fossil fuel plants, support New York’s clean energy goals, and stabilize its grid. Because if the grid fails and there’s no reliable backup, the impacts can be life-threatening, as we’ve seen time and again – from Superstorm Sandy to the recent blizzard.  

BESS is also good for our economy: they create good-paying local construction jobs, generate tax revenue, and help meet the energy affordability crisis by stabilizing our utility bills. BESS projects generate meaningful economic activity. Large-scale energy storage construction can employ local firms and workers across engineering, construction, environmental consulting, transportation, and service sectors, while supporting prevailing-wage jobs, MWBE participation, and growth of New York’s clean-energy workforce.

The technology is safe

 Let’s not fan the flames of myth – let’s put them out. There are concerns that BESS is dangerous – that these systems could catch fire if not properly managed, which has led to moratoria in some Long Island and Westchester communities and other counties across the state. But this is misguided, and a missed opportunity for climate resilience, public safety, and environmental justice. It’s unfortunate that some elected officials and activists have decided to spread misinformation for their own benefit. The facts, however, demonstrate the impressive safety record of BESS.

As Julie Tighe, NYLCV President, wrote in a recent op-ed: lithium ion batteries are everywhere. You might be holding one right now – they’re in our phones, laptops, electric vehicles. We’re surrounded by them, and we don’t question it – regulations keep us safe. 

The same is true for BESS. It’s modern, rigorously engineered, and highly regulated. In the last ten years, it’s grown eighteen-fold nationwide. 

In July 2025, the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Codes Council issued updated safety guidelines for BESS – building on the FDNY’s “gold standard” safety protocols and regulations –  reflecting the latest best practices in fire safety, system design, and emergency response. In support, six former FDNY leaders, including former Commissioner Thomas Von Essen, have affirmed that “battery energy storage can and should be safely integrated into our communities.” 

BESS is safe, reliable, and highly regulated. The real danger? Sticking with fossil fuels that come with unpredictable costs, worsen air pollution, and increase the risk of power outages. 

BESS advances environmental justice 

New York still relies on peaker plants – fossil fuel power plants that run during peak demand periods. Many of these plants are operating long past their intended lifespan. They worsen air quality, increasing risks of asthma, heart attacks, cancer, and more. Disproportionately, they’re located near communities of color. 

In NYC, there are twenty of these plants, which are even more polluting than other fossil fuel systems. Local air pollution causes about 2,400 premature deaths per year in the city, as well as more visits to emergency rooms. And they hit disadvantaged neighborhoods harder than others. 

BESS can replace these dirty plants – making our neighborhoods cleaner, safer, healthier and more equitable. 

BESS can already be found in New York State (including sites that have been operating since 2019), but we need more, and fast. We must urge our local governments to lift bans and unlock BESS’s power. 

Show your support for BESS by signing our petition here.

Georgia Good is the Communications Fellow at the New York League of Conservation Voters. She’s a Steinhardt Graduate Scholar in Environmental Conservation Education at NYU, with a focus on climate communications and advocacy. She’s had comms roles at Climate Arc, the Centre for Climate Engagement, University of Cambridge, and Mercy Corps, and she has a BA in English from UCL, UK.