The nation’s Democrats have been complaining that many of Donald Trump’s 198 executive orders this year (as of the Federal Register on September 7) have involved situations not usually classified as emergencies in the word’s dictionary definition as “a dangerous, unexpected event that poses an immediate risk to life, health, property, or the environment and requiring urgent intervention to prevent worsening.”
In announcing they supported the fast tracking of the proposed 250MW Terra-Gen battery storage project on Hurley Avenue in the Town of Ulster, local assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha and state senator Michelle Hinchey last week cited the need for quick action. Though the two progressive local politicians didn’t cite an unexpected event, their tone certainly denoted great urgency. The plant would be safe, and there was no time to waste.
“New York State has a goal to install six gigawatts of energy storage by 2030,” their argument went, “and in order to meet this goal, storage facilities of this size … will have to increasingly exist across the state.”
Ulster’s town board is close to issuing a negative declaration of environmental significance for the Terra-Gen project, the construction of which will utilize twelve of the 14 acres at the former Catholic high school on Hurley Avenue.
The “urgent intervention to prevent worsening” in this case consists of the need for more electrical energy from sources other than pollution-causing fossil fuels.
The state economy is rapidly changing. “[I]f we don’t transition to renewables, our choices are either sticking with fossil fuel or building out nuclear — and energy storage is a critical part of the renewable ecosystem we need to build,” Shrestha said. “Additionally, the Hudson Valley is strategically located to host storage projects, and we’re also glad that the New York Power Authority has announced some publicly-owned storage projects it intends to build as well.”
Hinchey was in agreement. “If we are to truly confront the climate crisis, we must step forward with open minds and make decisions grounded in facts,” she said. “And the fact is that New York and America have been late to the game when it comes to renewable energy infrastructure, including battery storage. These are investments we need.”
Shrestha and Hinchey are all in when it comes to “the renewable ecosystem we need to build.”
As renewable energy sources and energy consumption patterns evolve, the World Economic Forum said at its annual meeting this January, they create challenges around supply-demand balancing, forecasting and optimization. The traditional computing methods are reaching their limits in managing this complexity. Quantum computing, however, is emerging as a groundbreaking technology capable of reshaping energy systems, enabling greater efficiency, sustainability and resilience.
Poughkeepsie is the global headquarters for IBM quantum computing. Its hybrid quantum computing software and hardware are essential tools for more sophisticated and complex systems of energy management.
Just as the Drill, Baby, Drill crowd is citing its goals for its vague executive orders, so progressive New Yorkers are urgently supporting fast tracking of the kind of energy projects the Trump administration is canceling. Both sides urge intervention to prevent worsening.
“Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows,” wrote William Shakespeare 415 years ago in his play The Tempest.
Continued questions on battery plant
In addition to his focus on traffic safety, Hurley Town Supervisor Mike Boms also voiced concern over a proposed lithium ion battery energy storage system at the former Coleman Catholic High School site in the Town of Ulster. The 250-megawatt project, proposed by Terra Gen, has drawn scrutiny from residents and local officials.
Boms is skeptical. He argued that the project, led by a for-profit developer, is unlikely to reduce electricity costs for local residents. Instead, he claimed the business model involves buying electricity during low-demand periods and selling it at higher prices when demand spikes.
He further criticized the official statements from Shrestha and Hinchey, suggesting they closely mirrored the developer’s promotional materials.
Tim Kelly, a Hurley Town Board candidate, echoed those concerns. While supportive of renewable energy in principle, Kelly described the safety assurances as premature given the scale of the project and its proximity to residential neighborhoods. He cited nationwide incidents where battery storage systems experienced fires despite meeting code requirements, arguing that the risks, especially in densely populated areas, warrant more thorough scrutiny.
Kelly concluded that the potential safety hazards—particularly in areas near schools, places of worship, and homes—should not be dismissed or downplayed, even when regulations are technically met.
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