States are counting on battery farms. Some towns don’t want them

SNOQUALMIE, Wash. — In the race to meet the nation’s growing power demands, states and utilities are rapidly building new “battery farms” that can store energy for when customers need it most. But as the facilities grow, so too does community opposition. The systems store banks of batteries in buildings or shipping containers. While they can take many forms, developers are increasingly building large, multi-acre projects designed to meet the needs of local utilities. kAm%96 6=64EC:4:EJ DE@C65 3J DF49 DJDE6>D ?2E:@?H:56 92D 8C@H? E6?7@=5 D:?46 a_aa[ 2?5 :E’D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]6:2]8@G^E@52J:?6?6C8J^56E2:=]A9An:5lefhadQmAC@;64E65k^2m E@ 5@F3=6 282:? 3J E96 6?5 @7 a_ag] $E2E6 =2H>2<6CD 2?5 C6?6H23=6 6?6C8J 25G@42E6D D2J 32EE6CJ DE@C286 :D FC86?E=J ?66565 E@ DE23:=:K6 E96 8C:5 2?5 DFAA@CE E96 EC2?D:E:@? E@ 4=62? A@H6C]k^Am kAmqFE :? D@>6 4@>>F?:E:6D[ C6D:56?ED 2C6 H2CJ @7 AC@A@D2=D E@ 3F:=5 :?5FDEC:2= 32EE6CJ DJDE6>D :? E96:C ?6:893@C9@@5D[ ?@E:?8 E92E 32EE6CJ 7:C6D 42? 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