27Speaks

27speaks: Sustainability Advocates Defend BESS Plans

icon 1 Photo
The BESS facility in East Hampton.

The BESS facility in East Hampton.

27Speaks on Jun 29, 2023

With more wind and solar power coming on the grid in the near future, infrastructure plans call for battery energy storage systems where excess electricity can be stored at times of peak production and then withdrawn overnight and at times of peak demand. But in communities where a BESS is proposed, neighbors are concerned about fire and environmental risk. To assuage those concerns, Southampton Town Councilman John Bouvier and sustainability consultant Lynn Arthur join reporter Kitty Merrill and the editors on the podcast this week to discuss how a BESS works, how the batteries differ from other lithium batteries and the safety protocols that are put in place.

Subscribe to 27Speaks on Apple PodcastsGoogle Podcasts, Amazon Music and Spotify, rate us and leave a review.

You May Also Like:

Spotlight on the Hamptons Doc Fest: Films, Stories and Festival Highlights | 27Speaks Podcast

Hamptons Doc Fest is back, and from December 4 to 11 will screen 33 feature-length ... 4 Dec 2025 by 27Speaks

Feeding Southampton: Heart of the Hamptons Responds to Rising Need | 27Speaks Podcast

The staff and volunteers at Heart of the Hamptons Food Pantry work hard year-round to ... 30 Nov 2025 by 27Speaks

Preserving the Past: CPF Grant Gives WHBPAC $4 Million for a Brighter Future | 27Speaks Podcast

The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center was recently awarded $4 million from Southampton Town’s Community ... 20 Nov 2025 by 27Speaks

Federal Immigration Sweep Shakes the East End | 27Speaks Podcast

 On Wednesday, November 5, ICE agents swept into Hampton Bays and Westhampton, setting upon ... 10 Nov 2025 by 27Speaks

Voices of Valor: Preserving the Stories of Veterans | 27Speaks

This Saturday, November 8, three generations of local veterans — Angelique Williams (Navy 1997-2014), Ed ... 6 Nov 2025 by 27Speaks

Paging Dogtor Cooper: How One Pup Brings Comfort to Hospital Patients | 27Speaks

Every Tuesday, an 8-year-old poodle/golden retriever mix clocks in for his shift at Stony Brook ... 30 Oct 2025 by Staff Writer

Spotlighting Women’s Voices | 27Speaks

The Hampton Theatre Company has launched a new initiative to open each of its next ... 23 Oct 2025 by Staff Writer

Testing Traffic Fixes on CR 39 — What’s Changing and What Comes Next | 27speaks

In a few weeks, the Suffolk County Department of Public Works will institute changes in ... 16 Oct 2025 by Staff Writer

‘West Landing’: A Short Film About Swims, Friendship and Finding Community | 27Speaks

Every summer morning, a dedicated group of open-water swimmers — each over the age of ... 9 Oct 2025 by Staff Writer

From Reel to Real: How the Hamptons Film Fest Comes Together | 27Speaks

The annual Hamptons International Film Festival returns this week for its 33rd iteration, and from ... 3 Oct 2025 by Staff Writer