Committee presses staff to create local approval path for battery energy storage projects

Planning staff told the Transportation/Planning Committee there is strong developer interest in battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Alameda County but no consistent local approval path in the general plan or zoning code. Staff recommended a combined approach: amend the general plan and zoning code, complete CEQA, and create a permitting pathway for battery and solar projects rather than steering applicants to the California Energy Commission (CEC) process.

Albert Lopez said some applicants have opted into the state CEC siting process, which can preempt local land-use authority, and noted one project is already in the state pipeline. Staff recommended developing local ordinance language (based on drafts used in other counties), budgeting for CEQA analysis, and creating a clear, time-bound approval pathway to provide applicants with an alternative to the state route.

Public comment from conservation groups described BESS as compact and potentially compatible with ECAP policies if sited carefully. Supervisors asked staff to provide an expedited, time-bound schedule for applicants in the queue and to be explicit about the trade-offs between the local path and the CEC option. County counsel said staff must confirm the extent to which CEC findings can override local designations and will follow up.

Why it matters: Establishing a local permitting path affects whether Alameda County retains more local control over siting, mitigation, and community conditions for renewable and storage projects; it also affects the timeline and certainty for applicants who may decide between a local CEQA-driven route and the state CEC process.