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ERC leans toward allowing private battery storage but asks for more research on safety and siting
Summary
Marathon County staff recommended drafting farmland-preservation ordinance language to allow private battery energy storage systems (BESS) under 1 MW and to treat commercial BESS as conditional uses; the committee requested more research on fire containment, emergency-response training, and model language from other counties.
Marathon County staff told the Environmental Resources Committee on March 31 that they will draft updates to the farmland preservation ordinance to address battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Staff explained two categories: private BESS (under 1 megawatt, on-site consumption only, no export) and commercial BESS (transmits or sells energy off-site or is 1 MW or larger). Staff recommended allowing private systems as a permitted use while prohibiting commercial BESS in the farmland preservation district or…
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