File #: Int 1480-2025    Version: * Name: Remote monitoring and permitting requirements for residential energy storage systems.
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Fire and Emergency Management
On agenda: 11/25/2025
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and the New York city fire code, in relation to remote monitoring and permitting requirements for residential energy storage systems
Sponsors: James F. Gennaro
Council Member Sponsors: 1
Summary: This legislation would waive requirements for remote monitoring and reporting of energy storage management systems for certain small residential energy storage systems and create an expedited permitting process for medium energy storage systems.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1480, 2. Int. No. 1480, 3. November 25, 2025 - Stated Meeting Agenda

Int. No. 1480

By Council Member Gennaro

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and the New York city fire code, in relation to remote monitoring and permitting requirements for residential energy storage systems

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

                                          Section 1. The New York city fire code is amended by adding new sections 608.11.1.1 and 608.11.1.2 to read as follows:

§ 608.11.1.1 Waiver of remote monitoring requirements for certain residential energy storage systems.

 

The requirements of section 608.11.1 of the code shall not apply to energy storage systems installed in or on the premises of Group R-3 occupancies, if such installation meets the following conditions:

 

1.                     The system has an aggregate rated energy capacity within the threshold of a small energy storage system as defined by table 1 of section 608-01 of title 3 of the rules of the city of New York, regarding outdoor stationary energy storage system size thresholds, or a successor provision;

 

2.                     The system is installed outdoors or in a garage;

 

3.                     The system is listed to Underwriter Laboratories (UL) Standard 9540 (2020 edition), entitled “Energy Storage Systems and Equipment,” and has undergone testing in accordance to Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Test Method 9540A (4th edition), entitled "Test Method for Evaluating Thermal Runaway Fire Propagation in Battery Energy Storage Systems;” and

 

4.                     The system has received a certificate of approval from the fire department.

 

§ 608.11.1.2 Waiver of real-time notifications.

For energy storage systems that are not subject to remote monitoring requirements due to meeting the waiver conditions established by 608.11.1 of the code, a designated certificate of fitness holder or subject matter expert shall not be required to make real-time notifications to the fire department relating to the operation of the system.

 

                     § 2.  Section FC 608.10.3 of the New York city fire code is amended to read as follows:

§ 608.10.3 Notice to department.

Notice of the commissioning and decommissioning of stationary energy storage systems shall be given to the department¸ and the removal of a malfunctioning system coordinated with the department, in accordance with the rules. Such notice shall include the location, size, chemistry, make and model of such energy storage system.

 

                     §3. Article 105 of title 28 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 28-105.13 to read as follows:

§28-105.13 Expedited permitting for medium-sized energy storage systems.

Within one year of the enactment of this section, the department, in consultation with the fire department, shall establish rules for the expedited permitting process for medium-sized energy storage systems, as defined by table 1 of section 608-01 of title 3 of the rules of the city of New York.  Such rules shall be developed in consultation with industry stakeholders, and include the following provisions:

1.                     Authorization of independent fire alarm systems when such energy storage systems is: (i) co-located in a building or occupancy, and is considered an accessory use as defined in Buildings Bulletin 2020-023; (ii) required by the fire code to have a fire alarm system; and (iii) is located outdoors or on a roof.  In such circumstances, the fire alarm required for such energy storage system shall be designed, permitted, inspected, and approved independently from any existing fire alarm system at the location.

 

2.                     Expedited permitting process that waives requirements for site-specific reviews by the department for systems that are listed to Underwriter Laboratories (UL) Standard 9540 (2020 edition), entitled “Energy Storage Systems and Equipment,” have undergone testing in accordance to Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Test Method 9540A (4th edition), entitled "Test Method for Evaluating Thermal Runaway Fire Propagation in Battery Energy Storage Systems, and have received a certificate of approval from the fire department.

 

3.                     Allowance for the use of alternative fire protection systems when proposed use is supported by analysis conducted by a licensed fire protection engineer.

 

                     §4. Title 15 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 15-151 to read as follows:

§15-151 Energy resiliency advisory board. The department shall establish an Energy Resiliency Advisory Board to advise the commissioner on the deployment of safe residential energy storage technologies.  Such board shall include energy storage manufacturers, installers, trade associations, and other industry stakeholders.

                     §5. This local law takes effect immediately upon enactment.

 

JDK

LS 18963

5/6/25