Navigating New Jersey’s Energy Storage Challenges
By: Joel Richardson, P.E. | Real Estate Deputy Market Director & Civil Engineering Department Manager
The year 2024 saw global renewable energy capacity surpass 4.4 million megawatts (MW), representing close to 50 percent of all electricity capacity worldwide. In the United States alone, renewable energy capacity nearly doubled in 2024. This spike in demand for renewable energy (including solar, wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric power) has also led to increasing demand for utility-scale battery systems designed to store excess power generated by intermittent renewable sources during periods of low grid use.
As more and more states introduce renewables into their long-term economic planning, they rely on battery energy storage systems (BESS) to store excess energy. This stored energy can be used during suboptimal periods when little to no energy is produced (e.g., cloudy days with little solar visibility), which helps utilities improve their carbon footprint and reduce the need to purchase costly power on the spot to meet energy needs during peak windows. By saving excess power from intermittent generation sources and strategically releasing it back into the grid during peaks in demand, utility providers can also manage supply and demand in real time and avoid straining the grid infrastructure.
BESS creates further savings by increasing the value of renewable projects, reducing the need for transmission upgrades when connecting to the grid, and extending the lifespan of transmission infrastructure. Standalone BESS projects can also displace and replace facilities like natural gas peaker plants.
BESS installations have been successful in states like California and Texas, which have expanded their respective storage capacities by over 4,500 and 5,500 percent between 2019 and 2024 and are expected to comprise over 65 percent of planned BESS capacity in 2026. The State of New Jersey, meanwhile, launched Phase 1 of its Garden State Energy Storage Program (GSESP) in 2025 with the goal of establishing 2,000MW of statewide battery energy storage capacity by 2030. New Jersey is not alone in its commitment to renewable growth either; cumulative utility-scale battery storage capacity increased by 66 percent nationwide in 2024 and another 30 percent in 2025.
To help achieve New Jersey’s bold energy storage goals, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities is administering $2 billion in BESS-related projects. Awardees for the first round of Phase 1 funding are expected to yield 355MW of statewide energy storage, with a second round of funding for another 645MW worth of storage to be disbursed later this year. There are, however, important considerations to take into account when navigating the approval process for these facilities.
Overcoming Challenges
As with most other land development applications, the approval process for BESS projects involves navigating numerous bureaucratic obstacles. Some of these obstacles, such as environmental review, are standard practice for land development, while others are unique to BESS.
Longer entitlement process. Not every BESS project will be subject to the same exact requirements, as these can differ depending on location and government jurisdiction. However, common entitlements that may be required to move a BESS project forward include zone changes and variances, special use permits, and site plan approvals. Additional requirements for site development permitting may include obtaining approvals from municipal governments, utility providers, and/or state and local environmental, health, public works, transportation, and historic preservation authorities.
Engaging local civil engineers and land use specialists who understand the entitlement and permitting processes is key. Consultants can prepare a critical impact assessment (CIA) to identify in advance the environmental, zoning, and regulatory constraints associated with a given site. If the site is deemed suitable for the BESS project, the CIA can also help identify overall entitlement and permitting schedules, fees associated with approvals, and any other anticipated costs. Another valuable document to prepare is a permitting matrix, which outlines the individual permits needed for development, the regulatory agencies that approve them, and the timeframes and triggers for those approvals.
Community education. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome when permitting a utility-scale BESS facility is obtaining community buy-in on the project. Members of the public may have misconceptions about the technology, or they may be opposed to local development in general. These negative perceptions of the technology have led some municipalities to pass moratoriums on BESS development altogether.
The best way to combat this is by educating the public on both the benefits of BESS and the rigorous safety considerations that go into its construction and implementation. Hosting public outreach sessions with members of the community is one valuable way to listen to local concerns and teach the public about this technology. Obtaining buy-in from local civic associations, elected officials, and public safety departments is also key.
Safety and environmental concerns. Public opposition over BESS typically falls into one of two categories: fire safety concerns and environmental concerns. Consultants can prepare hazard mitigation assessments (MHAs) to identify potential points of failure in the system and recommend failsafe measures to mitigate hazards that may arise from those failures. Additionally, it is vital to work with local fire officials to develop project-specific emergency response plans in the event of a fire or some other disaster. Lastly, there should always be a decommissioning plan for every BESS to ensure that, should the energy storage infrastructure be relocated, the original site can be restored to how it was prior to development.
Noise evaluations and visualizations are also useful tools for identifying potential visual and noise impacts. Using visual/noise barriers and landscape screening for BESS projects can help reduce visual and noise impacts, thereby reducing the burden on the day-to-day lives of community members.
Additional Considerations
Enlisting the consultation services of a licensed engineering firm familiar with how to apply BESS standards and perform hazard mitigation analyses will provide the peace of mind that developers, utilities, and communities desire when considering their battery energy storage options. A multidisciplinary team of consultants can anticipate architectural, engineering, and environmental needs in advance, which can ultimately shorten timelines and reduce unnecessary spending. As BESS adoption skyrockets throughout the United States and abroad, knowing how to safely implement and leverage this technology can help create more stable, environmentally-friendly energy delivery for all.