⚡ 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 "Project O'Hare" - 1480 Renaissance Dr, Park Ridge, IL (APN: 09221100050000)

This report provides a comprehensive due diligence analysis for the property located at 1480 Renaissance Dr, Park Ridge, IL. The analysis evaluates the site's suitability for a distribution-scale (≤5MW) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project based on key technical, environmental, regulatory, and financial criteria.

1. Site Access & Topography

The subject property is located in a developed commercial/office park environment, immediately adjacent to major transportation corridors. This provides significant advantages for logistics and construction.

• Road Access & Equipment Delivery: Access is excellent. The site fronts Renaissance Drive, a well-maintained, multi-lane public road. This road connects directly to major thoroughfares like S. Dee Road and I-294 (Tri-State Tollway), which is less than a mile away. This network can easily accommodate oversized and overweight vehicles required for delivering BESS containers, transformers, and switchgear. A preliminary review of aerial imagery shows no obvious overhead line conflicts or tight turning radii that would impede access for large trucks.
• Terrain Characteristics: The topography in Park Ridge, and Cook County in general, is exceptionally flat. The site appears to be level and graded, consistent with its current use as part of a commercial development. This eliminates the need for significant earthwork, reducing civil construction costs and timelines.
• Heavy Equipment Feasibility: Access for heavy equipment, including a 100-ton crane for setting transformers and inverters, is considered highly feasible. The existing road infrastructure and likely stable soil conditions (Requires Verification via Geotechnical Study) present a low-risk profile for construction activities.
• Easement Concerns: While road access is public, access for the interconnection line (Point of Interconnection - POI) is a critical unknown. A title search is required to identify any existing utility easements on the property that could be leveraged or that might constrain the site layout. If a suitable distribution line is not adjacent to the property, a new, potentially lengthy, private easement will need to be negotiated with neighboring property owners, adding significant cost and timeline risk.

2. Environmental Constraints

The site's location within a developed area reduces some environmental risks, but critical data gaps must be addressed immediately.

• FEMA Flood Zone: The FEMA flood zone designation is currently Unknown. This is a high-priority diligence item. If the site is located within a 100-year floodplain (e.g., Zone AE), all equipment pads and control houses would need to be elevated above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE), adding substantial cost. A designation as a floodway would likely render the site undevelopable.
• Wetlands: The presence of wetlands is Unknown. An initial screening using the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) is required. Given the developed nature of the area, the risk of federally protected wetlands is likely low, but localized drainage features or stormwater ponds could be present and require setbacks or mitigation. A formal wetland delineation will be necessary if the NWI screening indicates potential issues.
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• Critical Habitat / Endangered Species: The provided data indicates no critical habitat or protected areas on or near the site. This is consistent with a developed commercial parcel and represents a very low risk to the project. A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) will formally confirm this.
• Brownfield/Superfund Status: The site itself is not identified as a brownfield, meaning it does not qualify for the 10% IRA brownfield tax credit adder. There is one Superfund site noted within a two-mile radius. While this does not directly impact the subject parcel, a Phase I ESA is mandatory to ensure no recognized environmental conditions (RECs), such as potential groundwater contamination migration, exist. This is considered a low risk.
• Pipeline Proximity: No major gas transmission pipelines are located within three miles, mitigating risks associated with pipeline-related setbacks and safety protocols.

3. Grid Infrastructure & Interconnection

Grid access is the most significant area of uncertainty and risk for this project. The provided data is insufficient and points to potentially fatal flaws for a distribution-scale project.

• Nearest Substation & Feeder: Data on the nearest distribution substation (distance, voltage, capacity) is missing. This is the single most critical variable for project viability. A desktop analysis using utility maps is urgently needed to identify the nearest ComEd substation and, more importantly, the serving 3-phase distribution feeder. The likely feeder configuration will be a 12.47kV or 34.5kV line, either overhead or underground, along Renaissance Drive or S. Dee Road.
• Transmission Line Proximity: A 138kV transmission line is located 1.5 miles away. For a ≤5MW project, a transmission-level interconnection is financially and technically infeasible. The cost of a 1.5-mile gen-tie line and a new substation switchyard would be in the range of $5M - $10M+, far exceeding the budget for a project of this scale. Therefore, a viable distribution feeder adjacent to or very near the site must be identified.
• Recommended Interconnection Voltage: The project must target a 12.47kV or 34.5kV distribution-level interconnection.
• Estimated Cost & Timeline: Without a known POI, costs are