Municipal Land Pooling: New Approach for Battery Storage Projects

The rapid growth of large-scale battery storage systems is increasingly influencing municipal planning, especially near substation locations. Local governments are beginning to take proactive measures, adopting structured approaches such as land pooling—a method previously applied to wind energy development—to streamline project selection and optimize benefits for all stakeholders.

Advantages of Municipal Land Pooling

By pooling landowners within a designated development area, municipalities can negotiate collectively with project developers. This ensures equitable financial participation and accelerates project implementation. Land pooling also helps address environmental considerations and community concerns by defining project locations, turbine spacing, and ecological safeguards before individual permitting processes begin.

Application to Battery Storage

Unlike wind energy, large battery parks typically require specific zoning approvals. Municipalities are increasingly defining strategic zones around substations to optimize economic feasibility and technical performance. Centralized selection processes ensure that only projects meeting community and grid priorities proceed, with clear rules for lease agreements and operational responsibilities.

By adapting the land pooling model to battery storage, municipalities can balance energy transition objectives with local interests, streamline permitting, and create stable investment conditions for grid-connected energy storage projects.