⚡ 1480 RENAISSANCE DR

BESS SITE DILIGENCE ANALYSIS REPORT

Prepared for: Sunland America Corp. Development Committee

Prepared by: Senior BESS Site Evaluation Analyst

Date: October 26, 2023

Site: 1480 RENAISSANCE DR, Park Ridge, Cook County, IL (APN: 09221100050000)

1. Site Access & Topography

The subject property is located within a modern commercial office park in Park Ridge, IL, immediately south of O'Hare International Airport.

• Road Access & Equipment Delivery: Access is excellent. The site fronts onto Renaissance Drive, a wide, paved public road. This road connects directly to major thoroughfares like Higgins Road (Route 72), providing clear access to the interstate system (I-90 and I-294). The existing infrastructure is designed to accommodate large delivery trucks and construction vehicles, which is a significant advantage.
• Topography & Site Preparation: The terrain in this region of Illinois is exceptionally flat. Satellite imagery confirms the parcel is level and appears to be previously graded as part of the office park's development. This minimizes the need for extensive earthwork, reducing civil engineering costs and construction timelines. The primary civil work will likely involve constructing equipment pads, internal access roads, and drainage systems.
• Heavy Equipment Feasibility: Access for heavy equipment, including mobile cranes for setting transformers and battery containers, is considered highly feasible. There are no apparent low-clearance bridges or tight turning radii on the primary access routes that would impede delivery of oversized loads.
• Easement Concerns: Requires Verification. As part of a planned office park, the parcel is almost certainly subject to a variety of easements (utility, access, drainage) and potentially restrictive covenants. A full ALTA survey and title report are critical to identify any encumbrances that could limit the developable area or dictate equipment placement. The discrepancy between the listed 35.02 acres and the Regrid parcel size of 2.97 acres must be resolved immediately, as it fundamentally impacts project feasibility. We will proceed assuming the 2.97-acre size, which is sufficient for a 5MW BESS but leaves little room for error.

2. Environmental Constraints

The site's location in a developed area presents a mixed environmental profile, with some clear advantages and some critical unknowns.

• FEMA Flood Zone: Requires Verification. The FEMA flood zone designation is currently unknown. This is a critical data gap. A review of the FEMA Flood Map Service Center is an immediate next step. Any designation other than Zone X (minimal flood hazard) would introduce significant design challenges, potentially requiring elevated equipment pads and adding substantial cost, or rendering the site undevelopable.
• Wetlands: Requires Verification. The presence of wetlands is unknown. While the site appears to be developed land, a desktop screening using the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) is necessary. Given the proximity to Des Plaines River, a formal wetlands delineation may be required by the AHJ or Army Corps of Engineers if NWI mapping indicates potential wetlands, which would trigger setback requirements and reduce buildable acreage.
• Critical Habitat / Endangered Species: The data indicates no critical habitat or protected areas on or near the site. This is a significant de-risking factor, reducing the likelihood of lengthy and complex consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Brownfield/Superfund Status: The presence of one Superfund/brownfield site within two miles is a dual-edged sword.
  • Risk: A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is mandatory to determine if there is any risk of soil or groundwater contamination migrating onto our parcel from the nearby site.
  • Opportunity (IRA Bonus): The Phase I ESA must also determine if our specific parcel qualifies as a "brownfield site" under federal definitions. If it does, the project would be eligible for the 10% Brownfield ITC adder, a significant financial benefit. This potential upside warrants investigation.
• Pipeline Proximity: No major gas pipelines are identified within a 3-mile radius. This is a major safety and layout advantage, eliminating concerns related to pipeline setbacks and explosion risk assessments that often complicate BESS siting.

3. Grid Infrastructure & Interconnection

Interconnection is the most significant challenge and highest-risk element for this site. The provided data is incomplete, requiring several assumptions.

• Nearest Substation: Requires Verification. No substation data was provided. A desktop survey identifies the ComEd Park Ridge Substation approximately 1.5 miles east of the site. The voltage and available capacity of this substation are unknown. The distance is substantial for a distribution-scale project and will likely result in a very expensive interconnection.
• Transmission Lines: A 138kV ComEd transmission line is located 1.5 miles away. This is not a viable Point of Interconnection (POI) for a distribution-scale (≤5MW) project due to the prohibitively high cost of a transmission-level tap and substation build-out.
• Recommended