Croton’s push to become a regional leader in green infrastructure hit a minor speed bump, but village officials are scrambling to keep a lucrative battery energy storage project on track before state incentives dry up further.

During a Sunday morning Zoom meeting, the Sustainability Committee revealed that Luminace, the developer tapped to build a half-sized battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Municipal Place facility, has backed out. The firm’s development director indicated Luminace is now focusing on acquiring existing projects rather than building new ones.

To salvage the project—and secure the originally proposed 5 MW system—the committee is exploring a creative shuffle: relocating the village salt shed to temporarily house seasonal yard waste, thereby freeing up enough space at Municipal Place for the larger battery array. (The salt shed’s current location cannot host a BESS because it lacks proximity to power lines with sufficient hosting capacity).

Time is of the essence. Committee Chair Lindsay Audin noted that last March, the commercial BESS incentive dropped from $175 per stored kilowatt-hour to $125. Lower incentives directly translate to lower lease rent for the village, and the funding pool is limited on a first-come, first-served basis. Village Trustee Len Simon agreed to accelerate discussions with village officials before the committee's next meeting.

On a brighter note, the committee celebrated the successful completion of a renewable diesel (RD) pilot program. The village will now fuel all 18 of its diesel vehicles with RD, a move Simon said will slash the municipality's carbon footprint by roughly 12.5%. DPW Superintendent Frank Balbi was reportedly "upbeat" about the results, and the village is preparing a press release on the transition later this month.

Meanwhile, major infrastructure projects at the train station are moving forward. Excavation for 18 new EV charge ports—handled by contractor PISO—is slated to begin in early March, requiring a new 100-300 kVA pole-mounted transformer. Additionally, the solar canopies at the station are expected to go live by early to mid-March following third-party commissioning starting February 16. The canopies' underlying PV and BESS project is currently being sold to Altus Power, which Audin noted will not affect the village's existing rent or leasing contracts.

Residents should also note that the popular e-bike sharing program, Project MOVER, which logged 1,374 trips across village hubs last year, will relaunch in April with two new locations: Senasqua Park and near the Riverside Avenue Route 9 overpass. Additionally, $1,000 e-bike vouchers are currently available for families earning under $140,000 per year. The next Repair Café will be held Saturday, Feb. 28 at 11 AM at the Croton Free Library.