Community resistance to battery energy storage is climbing as more than 160 jurisdictions across the United States impose moratoriums on new projects. Residents cite fire danger and toxic smoke, pointing to the 2023 blaze at Moss Landing, California, which burned for days and forced evacuations. A recent protest in Queens, New York, saw locals rally against NineDot Energy’s school‑adjacent proposal, demanding a halt to “toxic battery storage.”

Industry analysts argue the backlash won’t stall deployment. Rystad Energy analyst Reid Ramdathsingh notes that grid‑connection backlogs, not community opposition, are the primary bottleneck significantly. Still, projects have been scrapped: AES abandoned its North County, California battery plan, and Saline County, Kansas denied a similar scheme after local protests. Engineers stress that improved thermal management can curb fire risk.

Despite protests, the U.S. Energy Information Administration projects developers will add 24GW of utility‑scale storage this year, up from a record 15GW in 2025, concentrating in Texas, California and Arizona. GoodPower research shows support jumps to 77% when voters understand the technology, suggesting education campaigns could defuse ongoing opposition and keep the national market on track.