Proposed battery energy storage system runs into opposition | Local news | kokomotribune.com

Downtown Kokomo on September 15, 2022.

- Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune

A proposed battery energy storage system station for Kokomo’s southeast side ran into a brick wall of neighborhood opposition and unease from the city planning board.

Spearmint Energy, a Miami-based renewable energy company, is seeking to build a 100MW to 400MW battery storage system station on approximately 25 acres of vacant land near the intersection of Lincoln and Goyer roads.

The BESS would be anywhere from a $115 million to $450 million investment, generate more than $1 million of tax revenue a year, depending on the size and the amount of energy of the system, and could power anywhere from 80,000 to 270,000 homes for four hours, Mike Reed, director of development for Spearmint Energy, said.

The type of batteries used in the proposed BESS would be lithium ion, and the proposed project would have a lifespan of approximately 20 years, Reed said.

Anywhere from 60-100 temporary construction jobs would be created, with minimal permanent jobs created during operation.

The BESS would likely have a small onsite operations and maintenance building, Reed said, though it would be able to be monitored 24/7 remotely.

BESS is a type of energy storage technology that takes excess generated energy, such as energy generated from solar or wind power, stores it and then, when there’s a shortage or need for additional energy, sends it out to the electric grid.

Proponents say a BESS helps reduce electric grid volatility.

“We’re entering a period of load growth,” Reed said. “The U.S. population is using more energy for the first time in a long time. That’s expected to continue in the next decade or so. So battery energy storage is important for grid stability.”

If it moves forward, Reed said it would be a couple of years before the BESS would be operational. The company needs rezoning and development plan approval now, though, because it has significant down payments coming up next year with the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, the regional transmission operator for this area.

The proposed project, though, faced opposition from a handful of neighbors. Three nearby residents spoke at Tuesday’s Kokomo Plan Commission meeting stating their opposition.

Concerns largely centered around the fear of one, or many, of the batteries catching fire and posing a safety risk to buildings and residents nearby. Lithium ion battery fires are notoriously difficult to put out as the salts in the batteries are self-oxidizing, which means that they can’t be “starved out.”

Spearmint Energy said Tuesday it would have a safety plan and provide safety training with the Kokomo Fire Department. Reed said the company briefly met with KFD to start the conversation.

Assurances aside, the proposed project faced some uneasiness from the Plan Commission.

Jon Pyke, a Plan Commission member and the city of Kokomo’s director of engineering, said he would like more time to research.

“Since this is an emerging technology, it’s difficult for any of us to anticipate, like it is for a factory or distribution center,” he said. “This is a little new for everyone. … I can anticipate drainage, but as far as how far these things need to be away from everyone, I can’t.”

Ultimately, Spearmint Energy chose to continue their rezoning request to a later date. An unfavorable recommendation from the Plan Commission would’ve meant the company having to wait six months before reapplying for a rezoning.

Tyler Juranovich can be reached at 765-454-8577, by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at @tylerjuranovich.

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