Battery Energy Storage Systems for Code Required Backup Power in NYC

Joe Ahlquist
Proposal Status
Ready for Committee Review
Username
Joe Ahlquist
Proposer First Name
Joe
Proposer Email
jahlquist@brightpower.com
Proposer Last Name
Ahlquist
Proposer Phone
(646) 780-5556
Proposer Job Title
VP NY
Proposed Session Description
Bright Power designed and built a lithium ion energy storage system for a multifamily residential property that serves as the primary source of backup power in one of the first microgrid configurations of its kind. During construction, the permitting process was pioneered in partnership with FDNY, and after a year of O&M, Bright Power is excited to share our learnings with the industry.
Why is this session important?
This session is important given the incentives available for full building electrification and battery energy storage systems. Owners and developers should be aware of the life cycle implications of an energy storage system in order to make an informed decision if it is the right fit for their building

Comments

Amalia Cuadra Sat, 05/20/2023 - 3:23 pm

Cuadra CommentYES - with one caveat* Battery storage in NYC buildings has one major hurdle -- NYC Fire Code. This talk will discuss how to navigate the battery storage obstacles faced by multifamily buildings in NYC. They will discuss permitting and operation.  A couple of questions we need to ask when vetting this talk:- *The type of NYC building in the case study? If it's for a building stock that is not typical for MF buildings, then what are the lessons learned? - Can there be a second speaker for this talk? We need to have more than one perspective. 

Christopher Palmese Sun, 05/21/2023 - 9:35 pm

Yes.  With so many multifamily buildings throughout the City, I think this session will be of particular interest to building owners and vendors.  I especially like that it will discuss incentives for electrification and battery energy storage systems.

Ben Sachs-Hamilton Thu, 05/25/2023 - 9:29 am

Round 1 discussion:Battery storage - permitting and coordination with FDNY. What type of building is this? Building typology will affect scalability of this tach and broader application of best practices.

Christopher Palmese Tue, 06/13/2023 - 9:23 pm

Yes, depending on speaker availability.  The subject project seems to have had lessons that attendees can learn from, including working with FDNY on the permitting process.  The proposer suggested asking individuals from some of the vendors (possibly even FDNY) that his company worked with to speak about their experience.  We discussed specifically adding outside panelists so this would be more of a lessons-learned panel and does not come across as a sales pitch.

Learning Objectives
Breakdown permitting process for battery energy storage systems providing code required back up power
Discuss the complexity of controls and integrations with fire life safety systems
Analyze the applications for a fully electrified building with a battery energy storage system
Evaluate challenges associated with operations and maintenance of a battery energy storage system
Has this session been presented before?
No
When and Where?
N/A
Additional Comments
N/A
Target Audiences Level of Expertise
Level 2 - Some prior knowledge helpful.

NYC 2023 Areas of Focus

Session Format Details
40 mins presentation and 20 mins Q&A
Recommended Length
60-minute session

Strongest Content Connection - NYC 2023

Reviewer 1
Cuadra, Amalia
Reviewer 2
Palmese, Chris
Proposal #
139
Committee Decision
Being Considered