⚡ 1480 RENAISSANCE DR

TO: Sunland America Corp. Development Committee

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, Illinois, for its potential as a distribution-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project. The analysis covers key development pillars including site characteristics, environmental constraints, grid infrastructure, regulatory hurdles, and financial incentives.

Site Access & Topography

Road Access: The site benefits from direct access via Renaissance Drive, which is designated as a public road. Visual analysis of the area suggests this is a well-maintained, paved road within a commercial office park, designed to handle regular truck traffic, including delivery vehicles. This is a significant advantage for both construction and long-term operations and maintenance (O&M).

Terrain & Equipment Feasibility: Located in Cook County, the site's topography is presumed to be flat with minimal grade, consistent with the region and its current development as an office park. This characteristic is highly favorable, as it will minimize civil engineering and site preparation costs. Access for heavy equipment, including cranes for setting transformers and battery containers, appears feasible directly from Renaissance Drive. However, a detailed logistics plan is required to confirm turning radii into the specific parcel and to verify that no weight-limited bridges or other restrictions exist on the primary transport routes from major highways.

Easement Concerns: Given the developed nature of the surrounding area, there is a high probability of existing utility easements (e.g., electric, gas, water, sewer, fiber optic) crossing the property. A full ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey and a Title Report are critical early-stage requirements to identify any such easements, which could constrain the final site layout and usable acreage. The parcel size discrepancy between the county record (35.02 acres) and the Regrid data (2.97 acres) must be clarified immediately, as it fundamentally impacts project scale. Our analysis assumes the 2.97-acre parcel is the target.

Environmental Constraints

Flood & Wetlands: The FEMA flood zone and wetlands status are currently marked as Unknown. This represents a critical information gap. 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 portion of the site falling within a 100-year floodplain (e.g., Zone AE) would necessitate elevating all equipment above the Base Flood Elevation, adding significant cost. The presence of delineated wetlands would trigger state (Illinois EPA) and federal (USACE) setback requirements, potentially sterilizing large portions of the buildable area.

Habitat & Protected Species: The data indicates no critical habitats or protected areas on or immediately adjacent to the site. Given its location within a developed office park, the risk of encountering endangered species is considered low. This should be confirmed with a desktop review of the USFWS IPaC system and the Illinois DNR's ecological compliance assessment tool.

Contamination Risk & Opportunity: The presence of a brownfield/superfund site within two miles is a noteworthy finding. A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is mandatory to determine if the subject property itself has a history of recognized environmental conditions. This presents both a risk and an opportunity. If the site is clean, the nearby contamination could create public perception challenges. However, if the site itself qualifies as a "brownfield site" under federal definitions (e.g., due to prior commercial/industrial use), it could unlock the 10% Brownfield ITC adder under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a significant financial benefit.

Other Considerations: The site is not within the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area. The lack of pipelines within a three-mile radius is a major safety and permitting advantage, eliminating the need for specialized risk assessments and setbacks associated with high-pressure gas lines.

Grid Infrastructure & Interconnection

Substation & Distribution Feeder: The absence of data on the nearest substation and its distance is the single greatest risk to this project's viability. A ≤5MW BESS project must interconnect to the local distribution system. The 138kV transmission line 1.5 miles away is not a feasible Point of Interconnection (POI) due to prohibitive costs for a project of this scale. The immediate priority is to identify the servicing Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) substation, the voltage class of the local distribution feeders (likely 12.47kV or 34.5kV), and the feeder's path relative to the site. This requires immediate verification via a desktop grid analysis.

Interconnection Pathway & Costs: The likely interconnection will be a tap to a 3-phase distribution line along Renaissance Drive. We must determine if these lines are overhead or underground; underground taps are significantly more expensive. Assuming a POI is available within 0.5 miles of the site and no major substation upgrades are required, the interconnection cost can be estimated in the range of $750,000 to $2,000,000. This estimate is highly speculative and dependent on the actual system conditions. ComEd interconnects through the PJM Interconnection queue. PJM's study process is notoriously backlogged, and a realistic timeline from application submission to Commercial Operation could be 24-48 months.

Regulatory & Zoning Analysis

Jurisdiction & Zoning: The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) is the City of Park Ridge. The property is zoned "O - Office District," which presents a significant entitlement