Mark what happens on the property during a normal week
Draw the proposed area beside parking, loading doors, fire access, waste collection and delivery routes. Include busy periods, large vehicles and places tenants need to turn. A corner that looks vacant on a satellite image may be needed for a truck to reach a loading dock.
Describe seasonal or occasional uses too: overflow parking, outside storage, snow placement or planned expansion. Ask each affected tenant about practical needs before treating the area as available. Keep a copy of the existing site plan if you have one; you can begin an inquiry without commissioning a new drawing.
Review the tenant agreements as well as the land boundary
Give your property adviser the leases and amendments covering the affected area. Ask which rights concern parking, shared areas, entrances, utilities and construction work. Ownership of the parcel does not answer whether the proposed layout fits the commitments you have made to tenants.
If a lease is about to expire, explain both the current arrangement and your renewal plans. Ask how a battery reservation would affect a future tenant or a building expansion. A proposal should be discussed alongside your business plans, not only the space left over today.
| Existing use | Question for the layout |
|---|---|
| Loading and deliveries | Can the largest regular vehicle still reach the dock? |
| Parking | Which spaces must remain available? |
| Shared entrance | How are deliveries and maintenance visits scheduled? |
| Future expansion | What land and access must be kept free? |
Ask what the battery is meant to serve
A developer may propose leasing ground for a project connected to the utility system. Another proposal may concern a battery intended to serve the building’s electricity needs. Ask for a clear description of the electrical arrangement and the commercial agreement before comparing benefits.
The Department of Energy’s federal procurement checklist calls for identifying the battery’s intended use, site electricity needs and connection point. It addresses federal procurement, rather than private tenant lease rules. Those planning questions are useful when asking the team what a proposed commercial installation would actually do.
Reference: U.S. Department of Energy: battery storage procurement checklist
Want to ask about your land?
Send the location and what you know. You don’t need a project plan.
Tell us about your landKeep electricity and backup claims specific
If a proposal includes electricity savings, ask which meter and customer account it concerns. On a property with separately billed tenants, identify whose bill is being discussed. Ask what records and permissions would be needed for the analysis before sharing account information.
If backup power is proposed, ask which loads would be supplied, for how long and under what operating conditions. Request an explanation from the project team of the equipment and controls needed. A battery’s presence on the parcel does not establish that the building will remain powered during an outage.
Discuss construction around ongoing business
Ask for the temporary work area as well as the permanent equipment area. Identify excavation, delivery and staging routes, proposed work hours and any anticipated interruptions. Ask how tenants will be told about changes and whom they can contact when an entrance is blocked or a delivery cannot get through.
For example, a warehouse owner might offer grass beside a loading yard but need the yard open throughout construction. Have the team show how it would deliver equipment without occupying the truck turning area. Discuss damage repair and responsibility for temporary arrangements before approving access.
Make operating responsibilities understandable
Ask who owns the equipment, maintains it and responds to alarms or an incident. Identify access needs for maintenance and emergency response, and ask how these fit the existing businesses. Have the responsible team explain screening, sound and any changes to drainage using the proposed equipment and layout.
The DOE checklist also calls for defined operations and maintenance duties and early coordination with the relevant authorities. For your agreement, ask which duties belong to the project company and which would remain with you. Include how equipment removal and restoration would be handled when the project ends.
Reference: U.S. Department of Energy: battery storage procurement checklist
Send the location and a short description of the businesses
Start with your contact details, the address and the area you could consider. A useful note might say: “Two tenants use the warehouse. The west field may be available, but the shared driveway and truck yard need to stay open.” Mention any existing energy agreement or upcoming sale.
If you know the utility and whether tenants have separate accounts, include that. Leave details you do not know blank. Sunland can begin with the location and your plans; further agreement, connection, design and approval work is needed before a project can proceed.
Questions landowners ask
Can I inquire if the property is occupied?
Yes. Describe the tenants and uses that must be protected. Existing agreements and the proposed layout need review.
Would tenants automatically get cheaper power?
No. Ask which meter, customer account and agreement any proposed savings concern. A land lease alone does not establish a bill reduction.
Will a battery beside the building provide backup power?
That depends on the actual design and operating arrangement. Ask which loads would be served and how outage operation would work.
Sources & further reading
Sources checked 2026-10-04. Local rules and program details can change. Check the requirements for the actual project.