Frequently Asked Questions

What is the benefit of having battery storage on the grid?

Large scale “standalone” battery energy storage systems (BESS), like Wendell Energy Storage, benefit the electrical grid by allowing a higher percentage of our energy to come from intermittent renewable generating facilities, enabling clean electrons to be made available when they are needed. Large BESS charge from power supplied by the electric grid during times of ample system supply, usually aligned with midday, when solar and wind energy resources are generating electricity. The BESS can then dispatch the electric power back onto the electric grid during times of peak demand, usually in the evening, when solar energy is no longer being produced. This allows grid operators to avoid calling on the dirtiest fossil fuel resources for additional generation that might be needed to meet customer demand. Without these facilities incorporated into the grid, large amounts of renewable energy would go to waste, reducing the efficiency of the investment in renewable energy the Commonwealth has made in the last decade. 

How did you choose the project location for Wendell Energy Storage?

As fossil-fueled generators retire over the next ten years, the power generators in Southern New England will be replaced with more distributed sources that will benefit from energy storage systems. The Project will serve a critical role in balancing the transmission of power through Central Massachusetts to Eastern load centers. Specifically, the Project will benefit a region served by a 115 kV network northwest of Worcester that is currently isolated from the more powerful 345 kV system that carries power East-West across Massachusetts. This isolation creates a natural bottleneck for this area, which has not traditionally been an issue, given the relatively low load in the cities and towns located in the region. However, distributed generation–primarily solar–has proliferated in this region as a result of the abundance of available and developable land. This concentration of distributed solar creates a transmission challenge that the Project will address by storing the abundance of midday solar generation that can be used when the system needs it. To identify the most optimal site, the New Leaf team considered siting criteria including but not limited to proximity to critical and beneficial electrical infrastructure, suitable electric grid access and interconnection feasibility, land use and neighboring uses, archaeological, biological, and cultural resources, and topography.

What steps have been taken to ensure our wetland resources and habitats have been protected? 

At the core of New Leaf’s mission is the goal of protecting our environment by accelerating the adoption of renewable energy. Therefore, we take environmental impacts very seriously. The site is not mapped as Priority or Estimated Habitat by MassDEP, and the facility has been sited so as to avoid wetland resources as much as possible. The facility itself is located in an upland (non-wetland) area. The access road has been located to minimize wetland impacts where possible, and where crossings are required, they have been designed above and beyond standard MassDEP requirements. New Leaf has incorporated many recommendations made by the Wendell Conservation Commission as well. These additions include revising the entire facility layout to minimize wetland buffer zone impacts, wetland restoration areas, wildlife fencing, and specific seed mixes to promote native species and pollinators.

Tree clearing has been minimized to the extent possible surrounding the facility. A Net Emissions analysis has been performed for the project to compare the loss of trees to the carbon offset the project will generate. This analysis revealed that the project will offset roughly 67 times more carbon emissions than the existing forest.

Are there cultural or archaeological features that could be disturbed on the Project Site?

The history of the site has been investigated and no risk of cultural or archaeological impacts have been found. More specifically, a Phase I ESA has been performed on the site, and the project has been submitted to the Massachusetts Historical Commission for review. No cultural or archaeological concerns have been identified for this site. 

What battery technology will the project use?

The Project will use lithium-ion battery technology. If equipment selection decisions are revised during final design, any new equipment choices will similarly comply with National Grid’s Specifications for Electrical Installations and adhere to industry standards, such as UL standards. The Project will also comply with all applicable provisions of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code and the Massachusetts Electrical Code.

How long will the batteries last?  What will happen to them after that?

The Wendell Energy Storage project will have a lifespan of approximately 20 years. As the original system naturally degrades, the system will be augmented with supplemental battery storage units after approximately four years. At the end of the project’s operating life, the battery energy storage system will be removed and the underlying land will be restored to pre-existing conditions. Because the battery components contain valuable minerals, the system will be delivered to a certified facility for recycling and salvage value.

What considerations are being taken to ensure the safety of the Wendell Energy Storage project?

Safety is paramount to New Leaf Energy and the Wendell Energy Storage. Several measures are being taken to ensure reliable and safe operation of the system. From a technology perspective, the project will utilize best-in-class lithium ion cells based on similar battery chemistries that are used in cell phones, computers, and electric vehicles. In addition, the system will utilize a variety of thermal management systems as well as remote monitoring strategies in order to maintain system stability. The local Fire Department was engaged in preliminary discussions regarding the project with several design enhancements coming from those discussions. New Leaf Energy will ensure that there is significant collaboration and training with first responders in order to guarantee proper techniques are used in the unlikely event of an emergency.

Will the Wendell Energy Storage project impact my views?

The Wendell Energy Storage project is ideally situated within an area directly adjacent to existing transmission infrastructure, and away from densely populated areas. The Project Site has been evaluated for potential visual impacts based on field reconnaissance, photography of existing conditions, and simulation modeling of the proposed completed Project based on architectural design. Predicted views and visual impacts of the Project were evaluated from the Site, as well as from sites on properties directly abutting the Site and the nearest residences. Visual impacts of the Project are expected to be minimal, in part, by reason of Site configuration and the low profile of added equipment. The property is heavily forested, and a substantial forested buffer will remain between the roadway and the Project, as well as in the areas around the Project equipment.  In summary, the existing vegetation and the setback of the Project from all neighbors will provide effective screening and visual mitigation.