⚡ 1480 RENAISSANCE DR

MEMORANDUM

TO: Sunland America Corp. Development Team

FROM: Senior BESS Site Evaluation Analyst

DATE: October 26, 2023

SUBJECT: Comprehensive Site Diligence Analysis for APN 09221100050000 (1480 Renaissance Dr, Park Ridge, IL)

This report provides a comprehensive due diligence analysis for the property located at 1480 Renaissance Dr, Park Ridge, IL, for its potential as a distribution-scale (≤5MW) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project. The analysis identifies significant potential due to federal incentives but flags critical uncertainties related to grid interconnection and local permitting that must be resolved before committing further resources.

1. Site Access & Topography

Road Access & Feasibility: The site benefits from excellent public road access. Located in a modern commercial office park immediately adjacent to Interstate 294, the property is served by wide, paved roads (Renaissance Dr) designed for commercial traffic. This existing high-quality infrastructure suggests that delivery of heavy and oversized equipment, including battery containers, power conversion systems (PCS), and main power transformers, will be straightforward from a logistical perspective.

Terrain & Equipment Access: The topography in Park Ridge and the greater Chicago area is exceptionally flat. We can confidently assume the parcel is level or near-level, which drastically reduces civil engineering and site preparation costs. The existing commercial development implies the site is already graded. Heavy equipment access onto the parcel itself appears feasible, though the exact layout will depend on the status of the current office building (demolition vs. partial use).

Easement Concerns: As a developed commercial parcel, the property is almost certain to be encumbered by existing utility easements (power, water, sewer, communications). A full ALTA survey and title report are mandatory to identify the location and restrictions of these easements, as they will directly impact the usable area for BESS equipment placement and cable routing. The parcel size discrepancy in the provided data (35.02 acres vs. 2.97 acres for the APN) must be clarified immediately via a title search, as 2.97 acres is adequate for a 5MW BESS, but any less could be constraining.

2. Environmental Constraints

Flood Zone & Wetlands: The FEMA flood zone and wetlands status are listed as Unknown. These are critical, potentially fatal-flaw data gaps. A desktop review using FEMA's Map Service Center and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) must be conducted immediately. Any designation within a 100-year floodplain (Zone AE) would necessitate raising all equipment pads above the Base Flood Elevation, adding significant cost. The presence of jurisdictional wetlands would trigger setback requirements and potentially lengthy permitting through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, severely impacting the project timeline and buildable area.

Brownfield/Superfund Status: The property itself is not listed as a brownfield, but the presence of one Superfund/brownfield site within two miles warrants caution. A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is a required next step to assess the risk of potential contaminant migration. Crucially, this also presents an opportunity: if the Phase I ESA identifies a Recognized Environmental Condition (REC) and a subsequent Phase II confirms contamination, the site could qualify as a brownfield, unlocking the 10% Brownfield ITC adder under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This potential upside justifies the cost of the ESA.

Habitat & Other Constraints: The data indicates no critical habitats for endangered species or protected areas on or near the site, which is a significant de-risking factor. Proximity to pipelines and gas wells is also not a concern. The site is not located in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area.

3. Grid Infrastructure & Interconnection

Substation & Distribution Feeder: This is the most critical information gap in the current data package. There is no information on the nearest Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) distribution substation, its distance, or its voltage class (likely 12.47kV or 34.5kV). For a ≤5MW BESS, interconnection to a local distribution feeder is the only economically viable path. The feasibility and cost of this project are entirely dependent on the proximity and available capacity of a suitable 3-phase feeder.

Transmission & Interconnection Voltage: The nearest major grid infrastructure identified is a 138kV transmission line 1.5 miles away. This is not a viable Point of Interconnection (POI) for a project of this scale. The cost to build a 1.5-mile 138kV tie-line and a dedicated substation bay would be prohibitively expensive, likely exceeding $