CLINTON — Although the large-scale use of storage batteries by commercial wind projects is not yet widespread, the county is looking to place restrictions on them similar to those placed on commercial solar facilities.

Buck Carter raised the issue on Monday during the county board’s land use committee meeting.  He acknowledged wind farm storage of electricity using batteries was not common but suggested being prepared for the future.

Committee members discussed the proposal as they neared completion of revisions to the county’s wind energy ordinance.  Land use committee recommendations will next go to the Regional Planning Commission (RPC).

“One of the things we probably should try to do is coordinate with the wind ordinance some of the things in our solar ordinance,” Carter suggested.  “Some of those things would be the same in both ordinances.  We did address battery storage in solar, but it’s not addressed in wind.”

Carter suggested the two ordinances would align in their regulations regarding battery storage facilities.  He said he felt it was important to define “what battery storage is, and then you go from there.”   

• Read the complete story in the Friday, Dec. 15 print edition of the Clinton Journal or now in the Journal E-Edition for subscribers.