March 25, 2026
New York City’s Chinatown area is now host to the first battery energy storage system (BESS) project within the city limits, courtesy of Brooklyn SolarWorks.
The newly installed AccESS system, developed by an electrical equipment design company Briggs & Stratton is the only BESS model allowed to be installed on the city’s roofs. Installed as a new feature on one of the city’s solar canopies, the 19.6 kWh system represents “a monumental step forward for clean energy and urban resilience,” according to Brooklyn SolarWorks.
Sequoya Cross, VP of energy storage at Briggs & Stratton Energy Solutions, said the company worked for years with the city’s government and fire departments to make the project’s installation possible. Now the system is ready for use in the Big Apple.
“Our Access system is the only residential ESS that has a Certificate of Approval (COA) of the New York Fire Department (FDNY),” Cross said. “The COA is important because New York has some of the strictest fire safety regulations for energy storage systems in the world. Because they produce very little heat and have a reduced risk of thermal overflow, our batteries do not require additional fire suppression systems, cooling or ventilation measures.”
To get permission to install within city limits, the companies had to meet “notoriously restrictive permitting guidelines,” representatives say, which has scaled back previous BESS projects in the city.
An eight-year saga
The system was called “groundbreaking” by Brooklyn SolarWorks officials and took nearly a decade to meet New York City’s stringent electrical safety standards. Together with Briggs & Stratton, the company wanted to not only remove these hurdles, but also “develop the city’s permitting framework around the location and installation of residential energy storage.”
“This installation is a testament to our commitment to bringing innovative, clean energy solutions to New York City,” said TR Ludwig, founder and CEO of Brooklyn SolarWorks. “Our team led the charge for rooftop solar in this city a decade ago, and now we have the opportunity to lay the foundation for the BESS infrastructure the city will need as energy demand continues to rise.”
The new project will be a major boon to the electrical grid around New York City. As grid power becomes a major issue in cities across the United States, BESS and other distributed energy sources could be critical for stabilizing municipal electric systems during peak hours.
“Energy storage, combined with solar energy, makes New York City homes more resilient and strengthens our city’s electrical grid,” said building owner Bruce Langone. “This project has laid the foundation for millions of families across the five boroughs to take control of their energy needs. It is an honor to host the city’s first residential battery system, and I am grateful to Brooklyn SolarWorks and Briggs & Stratton for their persistence in bringing this vision to life.”
Tags: batteries, BESS, Briggs & Stratton, Brooklyn SolarWorks, New York City, projects, Residential Solar
