A Local Leader Sounds the Alarm
Councilman Dan Panico has raised an important concern that deserves far more attention than it receives: the urgent need for robust clean energy infrastructure on Long Island. His recent statements make it clear that battery energy storage systems (BESS) and renewable power initiatives are not just helpful—they are essential if Long Island is to meet the mandates outlined in New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
Brookhaven, where Panico serves, has taken proactive steps. The town has moved forward with a vision for clean energy that integrates technology, community needs, and long-term climate strategy. The framework is there. The public is engaged. The projects are ready. Yet, progress is being stifled but not due to a lack of commitment on the ground. This local readiness highlights the opportunity for the state to work decisively and quickly to keep pace and set actionable standards for progress.
Vision That Needs Support
Brookhaven’s energy roadmap includes several large-scale battery storage projects, all designed to enhance grid stability, reduce carbon output, and store renewable energy during off-peak times. These aren’t speculative ideas; they’re backed by research, community
dialogue, and funding. However, projects that should already be under construction instead are met with resistance and uncertainty.
Our local officials are working to find ways to solve the clean energy predicament and look forward to the stewardship at the state level to create actionable standards to create roadmaps for the permitting process.
Why BESS Matters
Battery energy storage doesn’t just support renewable energy—it makes it viable on a large scale. Solar and wind generation are intermittent by nature. Storage systems balance that inconsistency, capturing electricity when supply exceeds demand and discharging it when demand surges.
Long Island, in particular, stands to benefit from this technology. With its geographic exposure to storms and rising temperatures, the region needs a grid that is both flexible and durable. BESS offers that security. It also allows for the retirement of high-emission peaker plants, cutting pollution and improving public health outcomes in surrounding communities.
Statewide, energy storage is a linchpin in the effort to meet ambitious emissions targets. Without it, even the most generous investment in renewables will fall short.
Path to Permitting
Despite these benefits, New York’s permitting structure is historically fragmented. Projects must navigate a maze of approvals from multiple agencies. Developers and municipal leaders often wait months—or years—for clear decisions. Supervisor Panico is lobbying for a clearer path for these alternative clean energies that will allow Long Island to forge a cleaner and more durable energy grid.
Brookhaven Steps Up
Brookhaven hasn’t waited others to catch up. Local leaders have held public sessions, brought in safety experts, educated residents on the benefits and risks of BESS, and integrated feedback into project planning. These efforts show how engaged and responsive governance can help to educate the public and forge a path to acceptance of alternative energies.
These local leaders also fostered partnerships with energy developers who are willing to meet high standards for transparency and community engagement. This collaboration has laid the foundation for projects that are not only technically sound but socially supported.
In fact, upon entering office as Supervisor, Panico’s office looked to bring in experts to lead the Town through these somewhat unchartered and potentially murky waters.
Supervisor Panico has been open to understanding the challenges his jurisdiction will face and enlisting the experts to advise in the face of those challenges. As noted by the South Shore Press, under Supervisor Panico’s leadership, the Town of Brookhaven engaged an expert in environmental legal matters as special counsel. This move showcases the administration’s strategic preparedness for potential legal intricacies in the evolving landscape.”
Engaging experts to work with the municipalities to understand the issues and having the foresight to implement the local infrastructure to support the long term use of alternative energies ensures a long and independent energy future.
A Ticking Clock on Climate Goals
Currently, New York’s clean energy law demands rapid action: 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030, and a zero-emissions grid by 2040. Those aren’t soft aspirations—they’re legal obligations. Yet as of now, despite its efforts, the state has met only a fraction of its 3 gigawatt energy storage goal.
This shortfall signals more than a missed benchmark. It indicates a system under stress—a mismatch between policy ambition and institutional readiness. Every stalled project adds to the gap, making future success harder to reach.
Communities like Brookhaven are attempting to close that gap. They’re planning, proposing, and engaging. The hope is that the state will be clearing a path forward, setting standards and safety protocols and removing unnecessary hurdles.
What We Lose with Every Delay
Delays cost more than time. Delays erode public faith in clean energy, discourage private investment, and prolong the use of fossil fuels. Each postponed project is a lost opportunity to cut emissions, reduce utility costs, and improve grid reliability.
The ripple effects are real: when local innovation is consistently met with obstruction, it creates a chilling effect. Developers pull back. Residents grow skeptical. Municipalities grow weary of leading initiatives that end up going nowhere.
This isn’t just bad policy—it’s bad strategy. Climate action depends on collaboration, not conflict, between different levels of government.
A Better Way Forward
New York has the tools to fix this. The goal is that the state, in conjunction with its local leaders and advocates, establish dedicated permitting pathways for clean energy projects aligned with the CLCPA. It can assign accountability to a single lead agency to avoid contradictory reviews. It can issue timely, transparent guidance to towns and developers. And it can create a culture of cooperation.
There is no reason a town like Brookhaven—eager, organized, and informed—should be challenged by the very system it’s trying to support.
Time to Back Bold Leadership
Councilman Panico has made the case clearly. He isn’t just pointing out a problem—he’s demonstrating what effective local leadership can achieve. He’s showing that towns are ready, residents are listening, and developers are willing.
Now the state has the opportunity to match that readiness with real, meaningful action to promote climate progress.
Curious about how battery energy storage systems are shaping the future of renewable energy in New York? Learn how BESS technology is accelerating the shift to offshore wind and solar power while strengthening our grid.
Read the full article on Newsday to discover why investing in BESS is critical to meeting our clean energy goals.
FAQ
What is the main issue facing clean energy projects on Long Island?
Fragmented processes are slowing down essential clean energy projects like battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Why is BESS important for Long Island’s energy future?
BESS helps stabilize the grid, store renewable energy, and replace polluting peaker plants, making it critical for both climate resilience and public health.
What role is Brookhaven playing in advancing clean energy?
Brookhaven has engaged residents, collaborated with developers, and planned for BESS implementation—demonstrating strong, proactive leadership at the local level.
What does the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) require?
The CLCPA mandates 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and a zero-emissions grid by 2040, making timely energy project approval essential.