POWER December 2020 - 17

FOCUS ON O&M
should be an area of concern for any
BESS installation. The industry response
to
the
Arizona Public
Service
(APS)
battery fire in 2019 has resulted in improvements
in battery monitoring fire
detection and fire suppression designs
for energy storage modules. It has also
resulted in increased scrutiny of the design
plans and the facility's emergency
planning to deal with such an event. Local
codes may have requirements that
supersede the national codes.
Knowledge of the expectations of the
" Authority Having Jurisdiction " (AHJ)
over the fire codes at the site is helpful
even at the initial stages of the design.
The AHJ may require a fire alarm panel
at the site entrance to alert the first responder
of the detected emergency
location before they enter the site. The
AHJ may also require a subject matter
expert be available at the site within a
short time after an emergency notification
is sent.
Current fire codes may allow a BESS
installation in a multi-level structure, but
this must be done with careful coordination
with the AHJ. Firefighting in a multilevel
structure may require particular
access and shielding requirements that
Security and Permitting
Constraints
BESS installations are generally intended
to be unmanned during normal operation.
Site security is important both
to protect the equipment as well as prevent
injury to curious neighbors. Perimeter
access monitoring and notification
needs to be considered as part of the
project development.
Permitting activities require a good
understanding of the local zoning laws,
knowledge of the type and numbers of
various permits and approvals required,
and especially important, the knowledge
to get permits and approvals processed
in a timely manner to support project development.
Knowledge of local permitting
requirements, regulatory agencies,
and municipal landscape are invaluable
to a successful project development effort.
Permitting delays can be a significant
risk for projects required to meet a
specific in-service date.
Developing a site in a congested suburban
or urban location will typically require
notifying and obtaining approval
must be included in the initial design
plan and site layout.
from several agencies. Noise is always
a consideration. Sites located near residences,
schools, or medical facilities are
generally governed by regulations that
require lower noise generation. Some
areas have daytime and nighttime noise
limits at the site boundaries.
Furthermore, some locations have
nighttime sound level limits of 50 dB or
less at the site boundary. While BESS
installations are generally not noise
generators themselves, considerable
noise can be generated by the battery
module cooling systems and associated
transformers.
Visual Impacts and
Interconnection
Visual impact also needs to be considered.
Urban areas may not have sufficient
setback to allow landscaping to be
the visual barrier. In these areas, architectural
walls or fences may offer a solution
for an acceptable visual barrier to the
site. Potential facility lighting in congested
areas needs to consider the impact
on neighbors. Light trespass needs to be
considered, and security lighting needs
to be effective.
Interconnection with the local utility
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December 2020 | POWER
www.powermag.com
17
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POWER December 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of POWER December 2020
