Battery storage leases pay $500–$1,500 per acre per year — if you're next to a substation.
Standalone battery storage (BESS) is the fastest-growing infrastructure category in US power. Developers need ~5-30 acres next to a 100+ MW substation in a congested ISO market. If that's you, you're sitting on a high-yield, low-risk income stream.
How it works
- 1Substation proximity check
Economics collapse beyond ~5 km from a major substation. The first conversation any developer has is about interconnect distance + capacity.
- 2ISO queue + market check
Developers prioritize ERCOT, CAISO, PJM (East), and NYISO where storage revenue stacks (capacity + energy + ancillary). Queue position determines project timing.
- 3Option + lease
1-3 year option (small annual payment) → 20-30 year ground lease at $500-$1,500/ac/yr with escalators.
- 4Operations
Developer builds + owns + operates. Site fenced (1-30 ac depending on MW). Minimal landowner involvement.
Deal structures
Standard structure. Annual payments with escalators; 20-30 year term.
Some developers (especially at premium ISO nodes) buy outright. Typically $20k-$80k/ac.
Frequently asked
Under 5 km is the practical limit for cost-effective interconnect; under 2 km is exceptional. We measure this automatically in the assessment.
1 acre supports about 5 MW. Most projects are 20-50 MW, so 5-15 acres is typical. Bigger projects need 30+.
Yes — at end of term the developer decommissions and restores the site. BESS is far less invasive than solar or wind.
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