Battery storage land in Town of Burns, New York

A contracted project is not a general offer for land

NYSERDA’s September 23, 2026 announcement includes Zenobē Burns among its contracted bulk-storage projects. The announcement says project payments follow commercial operation and required permits and approvals. It does not identify every nearby parcel as an opportunity.

If someone mentions that award in a conversation about your land, ask whether they represent the selected project or are planning something separate. Ask why your property is needed and whether the request concerns equipment, an entrance or cables. Sunland’s inquiry form is for reviewing your property; it is not a submission to the named developer.

Reference: NYSERDA: September 2026 bulk-storage awards

Treat a forecast differently from a decision

The proposer’s public summary hosted by NYSERDA identifies Burns and describes permitting progress, including an expected special-use decision. That expectation is not the same document as the final permit and its conditions.

The town’s February 2025 minutes record a developer presentation and steps to appoint engineering support and open an escrow account. Those dated records show review activity. Ask for the current decision, approved drawing and conditions rather than turning an earlier presentation or predicted construction date into proof of current permission.

Reference: NYSERDA: proposer’s public summary for Zenobē Burns · Town of Burns: February 2025 meeting minutes

Ask which acreage figure the offer uses

Zenobē’s project page describes a 100 MW proposal using about eight acres of a roughly fifteen-acre parcel. Those are the developer’s figures for that proposal, not a minimum acreage or a standard footprint for other land.

For an offer involving your property, request a map separating the equipment area from the option area and temporary work space. Ask whether screening, roads, cables and drainage are included in the quoted acreage. Decide what land you want to keep using. Two proposals with the same battery rating can ask for different land rights.

Reference: Zenobē: developer description of the Burns proposal

Get the current local records for your own design

The town’s local-law directory lists a 2020 battery storage law and directs people to the clerk for official copies and clarification. Ask for the complete current text and any changes, then have the team identify the process for this parcel.

Share the municipality and parcel reference if known. Do not assume that a proposal discussed by the town establishes the rules for a property in another jurisdiction. Ask who would submit documents, which owner authorizations would be requested and how you would review changes to drawings or statements about your land.

Reference: Town of Burns: local-law directory and official-copy guidance

Connection and payment questions remain separate

Ask where the battery would charge and export, which electrical studies or agreements exist and what work remains. A nearby project or substation does not establish available capacity for a second site. Have the electrical route shown on the land plan, including any crossing of other property.

Compare the expected project milestones with your own payment terms. Find out what you receive while the site is being investigated, what starts rent and what ends the reservation if the project stops. Review access, damage, removal and restoration alongside the payment. A developer’s state contract does not supply your private lease terms.

Tell us about your land and your goals

Send Sunland your contact details and property location. Add Town of Burns, Allegany County, current use and any project name or offer already received. If you know the utility or parcel number, include it; other property details remain optional.

You do not need to choose a battery size or prepare a planning application first. Say whether you are interested in a lease, sale or simply learning more. Further review must establish the rights, connection, layout, approval route and commercial fit. Sending an inquiry does not commit you to an agreement or imply that Sunland represents Zenobē.