⚡ 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 1480 Renaissance Dr, Park Ridge, IL (APN: 09221100050000)

This report provides a comprehensive due diligence analysis for the property located at 1480 Renaissance Dr in Park Ridge, Cook County, Illinois. The analysis evaluates the site's suitability for a distribution-scale (≤5MW) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project based on key development criteria. A significant data discrepancy exists regarding parcel size, with county records indicating 35.02 acres for a parent tract while GIS data shows the specific APN as 2.97 acres. This analysis proceeds assuming the 2.97-acre parcel is the target, a critical point for immediate verification.

1. Site Access & Topography

• Road Access & Equipment Delivery: The site has excellent access. It is located in a well-developed commercial office park directly accessible from Renaissance Drive, a public road. The property is situated just east of Interstate 294, providing a direct and high-capacity route for equipment delivery. Roads within the office park appear wide and well-maintained, capable of handling heavy truck traffic.
• Terrain Characteristics: The topography in Park Ridge, and the greater Chicago area, is exceptionally flat. We anticipate minimal to no grading will be required, significantly reducing civil engineering costs and site preparation timelines. The existing site appears to be a paved parking lot or landscaped area associated with an office building, further simplifying construction.
• Heavy Equipment Feasibility: Access for heavy equipment, including mobile cranes for setting transformers and switchgear, as well as flatbed trucks for delivering battery containers, is considered excellent. There are no apparent overhead line obstructions, tight turns, or weight-limited bridges that would impede delivery.
• Easement Concerns: While access from the public road is direct, the exact location of the buildable area within the 2.97-acre parcel must be confirmed. An ALTA survey is required to verify that no cross-access or utility easements encumber the proposed BESS footprint. Access rights across the larger office park development should be confirmed in the title report.

2. Environmental Constraints

• FEMA Flood Zone: Requires Verification. The FEMA flood zone designation is currently unknown. This is a critical data gap. A desktop review of FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) is an immediate next step. Any designation within a 100-year floodplain (Zone A/AE) would likely render the site undevelopable for critical infrastructure like BESS or require costly mitigation (e.g., building up the pad).
• Wetlands: Requires Verification. The presence of jurisdictional wetlands is unknown. A National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) screening is necessary. Given the developed nature of the site (office park), the risk of significant wetlands is likely low, but any identified wetlands could trigger substantial setbacks and permitting requirements from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Illinois EPA.
• Critical Habitat / Endangered Species: No critical habitats or protected areas are identified on or near the parcel. Risk in this category is considered very low.
• Brownfield/Superfund Status: The subject parcel is not identified as a brownfield. There is one superfund site located within a two-mile radius, but it is not adjacent. This presents a minor risk of potential soil or groundwater contamination migrating to the site. More importantly, because the site itself is not a designated brownfield, it is not eligible for the 10% IRA brownfield tax credit adder. This is a missed opportunity, not an advantage.
• Pipeline Proximity: A significant positive factor. No major gas transmission pipelines are identified within a three-mile radius, eliminating risks associated with pipeline safety setbacks, explosions, and stringent co-location restrictions.

3. Grid Infrastructure & Interconnection

• Nearest Substation: Requires Verification. This is the most critical unknown for the project's viability. The distance, voltage class, and available capacity of the nearest distribution substation are unknown. The interconnecting utility is Commonwealth Edison (ComEd). A suitable 3-phase distribution feeder with adequate capacity must be adjacent to or very near the site for a distribution-scale project to be economically feasible.
• Transmission Line Proximity: A 138kV ComEd transmission line is located 1.5 miles from the site. This is not a viable Point of Interconnection (POI) for a ≤5MW project. The cost to build a 1.5-mile gen-tie line and construct a new substation for a 138kV tap would be prohibitively expensive (likely >$10M) and is not a consideration.
• Recommended Interconnection Voltage: The project must interconnect to the local ComEd distribution system. The likely voltage will be 12.47kV or 34.5kV. The POI will be a tap on an existing overhead or underground distribution feeder.
• Estimated Cost & Timeline: Without a known POI, this is highly speculative. A best-case scenario (adjacent 3-phase feeder with capacity) could result in interconnection costs of $750,000 - $1.5M. A worst-case scenario (requiring a new feeder exit from a distant substation or significant system upgrades) could easily exceed $3M+. The ComEd interconnection process runs through the PJM RTO queue, and timelines from application to commercial operation can range from 24 to 48 months.
• Feeder Configuration: Requires Verification. A site visit or review of utility maps is needed to confirm the presence, phasing, and configuration (overhead vs. underground) of distribution