The Brooklyn Community Board 15 (CB15) held a meeting on the evening of April 29, focusing on the controversial plan by renewable energy company Soltage to set up a lithium battery energy storage facility at the site of a closed auto repair shop at 2481 McDonald Avenue in the Gravesend community. This location behind a densely populated residential area has sparked widespread concerns and opposition from residents about safety and health. Several elected officials and representatives also attended the meeting to voice their opinions.
The facility will be equipped with six Tesla Megapack systems with a total storage capacity of 5 megawatts, occupying an area of approximately 90 feet by 120 feet, taking up half a city block. Dirk van Ouwerkerk, Senior Vice President of Soltage, introduced the project at the meeting, emphasizing that Soltage is not a speculative investor seeking quick profits here but aims to own and operate the facility long-term to help the grid cope with the increasing demand for electricity in the future.
He mentioned that with the rapid proliferation of new applications such as artificial intelligence, remote work, and advanced medical technology, the demand for electricity is soaring, and the existing transmission infrastructure built decades ago cannot handle the projected 20% to 40% increase in demand. Therefore, energy storage systems have become crucial supplements.
Despite Soltage’s assurance that the system has passed FDNY inspection and complies with the strictest safety standards in the state, many residents still strongly question the potential fire risks of lithium batteries. Some pointed out that in the event of a fire, water cannot extinguish it and toxic smoke could spread up to four miles, with one resident even likening it to “another 9/11 disaster.” Emotions ran high at the meeting with residents shouting, “No batteries! How dare you build this next to our children?”
In response, Ouwerkerk clarified that the common types of lithium battery fires are associated with unregulated electric bike batteries, whereas fixed energy storage systems like the one approved by FDNY here in NYC are highly regulated and certified, with no fire incidents to date. The system is equipped with triple monitoring measures involving fiber optics, LTE, and satellite communications, and even in the event of a total system failure, there are contingency plans in place. He acknowledged the lack of community engagement during the site selection phase and offered an apology for not meeting with the community earlier.
He explained that initially, FDNY had reservations about lithium batteries and only recently approved them with an annual review system in place, leading to a delay in project development. The FDNY had prohibited lithium battery storage facilities from entering the city between 2013 and 2019 and collaborated with NASA, the military, and the industry to establish a highly regulated safety standard. The process took five years to find a suitable location, design the facility, collaborate with manufacturers for certifications, and obtain facility permits.
The location of this case falls within City Council District 44, which has been vacant since Councilman Kalman Yeger was elected as a state Assemblyman, and as such, there has been no City Councilor speaking out on this matter.
As the representative of neighboring District 46, Council Member Mercedes Narcisse showed support for the residents’ position at the meeting. She emphasized that community engagement and transparent policies are core values in advancing public affairs, stating, “What happens in neighborhoods, whether it’s in my district or not, can impact all of us. I learned early in life that when your neighbor has an issue, you should be prepared for your own. That’s what I’m doing now.”
A representative from the office of State Senator Kevin S. Parker, Chair of the State Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, stressed that since 2019, incidents related to lithium batteries have significantly increased in the city, and it should be avoided to install such storage facilities within residential areas. He mentioned the 69-55 bill jointly pushed by Parker and State Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr., which requires lithium battery facilities to be at least 1,000 feet away from residences, schools, and farms, effectively restricting them to industrial zones. He urged the public to contact Parker to expedite the bill through the Energy Committee.
CB15 committee members ultimately voted against the project. A representative from State Assemblyman Michael Novakhov’s office asked Soltage if they would be willing to relocate if they assisted in finding an alternative location that garnered community support. Ouwerkerk declined, citing the company’s significant resources and planning already invested at the current site.
The representative for State Assemblyman Michael Novakhov straightforwardly expressed, “We oppose this plan, and it’s not just about the project itself but the wrong choice of location. You chose to be next to residents’ backyards, which is not the place we need.”
The project will still need to undergo review by relevant city departments in the future, but the clear message of strong opposition from the community meeting will be foremost in their deliberations.