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Introducing Preliminary Noise Modeling for BESS Projects: De-risk Your Design From Day One

Written by Matthew Sveum Stubbs | Jul 17, 2025 12:21:12 PM

At Glint Solar, we know that the road from concept to construction is rarely linear. One of the most underestimated and frequently project-stalling challenges? Noise concerns.

Whether it’s a local council wary of increased decibel levels or community stakeholders worried about quality of life, sound can be a surprising dealbreaker. That’s why we’re excited to announce our latest product release: Preliminary Noise Modeling for Battery Storage Projects.

With this new capability, BESS developers can now predict, visualize, and proactively mitigate acoustic impacts, all in the earliest design stages.

Why Noise Modeling Matters in Battery Storage

Battery storage is rapidly becoming an essential companion to renewable energy, offering grid flexibility, peak shaving, and energy resilience. But with these benefits comes the reality of siting large infrastructure near populated areas, often where planning approvals are hardest to secure.

Here’s the current reality for most developers:

  • Consultant-led assessments are expensive (often several thousand euros) and slow (weeks to get results).
  • Iterative changes to layout or technology require re-running studies, slowing momentum.
  • Community consultation materials are often unavailable until too late, leading to opposition and project derailment.
  • Early-stage site selection is limited by a lack of acoustic feasibility insights.

At the same time, broader development risks are escalating. In Germany alone, over 340 GW of BESS applications are chasing just 50 GW of projected market capacity by 2035, yet fewer than 15% are expected to secure grid access. Add in looming regulatory changes, like the proposed 2029 grid fee for BESS, and the pressure to de-risk every aspect of development, from acoustics to permitting, has never been greater.

This new feature from Glint Solar flips that process on its head, enabling project teams to assess and iterate on noise impacts in-house, instantly.

 

What You Can Do With Glint Solar’s Noise Modeling Feature

1. Quantify Noise Impact Before It’s a Problem

Upload your own vendor equipment data, or use Glint’s conservative defaults, and simulate expected noise emissions from battery containers and MV transformers. Quickly see how sound propagates across your site and impacts sensitive areas such as homes, schools, or protected zones.

This helps you disqualify unsuitable sites early or make informed adjustments before investing time and budget into permitting.

2. Model the Acoustic Environment with Real-World Complexity

Unlike simplified Excel calculators, our tool accounts for:

  • Topography
  • Ground type and absorption
  • Natural and man-made barriers
  • Distance attenuation and meteorological effects

This is powered by the open-source Cnossos-EU model, validated against industry-standard ISO 9613-2 reports, with proven accuracy in both rural and urban contexts.

3. Design and Test Mitigation Strategies in Real-Time

Drag and drop sound walls, adjust distances, or reorient site layouts and immediately visualize how those changes affect decibel levels across the surrounding area.

This allows developers to craft mitigation strategies before public consultations or permitting hearings, saving months of rework and thousands in consulting fees.

Built for Project Developers

This tool was designed with developers in mind. That means:

  • No GIS or acoustic modeling background required
  • Instant visual outputs, including heat maps
  • Scenario-based comparisons to quickly test and document multiple design iterations
  • Export-ready visuals for internal reviews, public consultations, or local authorities

It’s part of our ongoing mission to make Glint Solar the central platform for evaluating and designing solar and storage projects, all in one place.

“With this new noise modeling capability, developers no longer need to wait weeks for expensive consultant reports and can actively de-risk stakeholder pushback during early project development,” said Even J. Kvelland, CCO and co-founder at Glint Solar. “At Glint Solar we are empowering our users across the world to make better and more data-driven decisions at the beginning of project development. With this release we’re giving our users the power to simulate and iterate acoustic considerations from day one, within the same platform they already use to design and analyze their solar and storage sites.”

Real Impact: De-risk Early and Accelerate Permits

Here’s what this feature unlocks for your team:

  • Faster Permits: Flag and mitigate noise risks before submitting applications.
  • Improved Community Engagement: Show stakeholders that you’ve considered their concerns early, with visual proof.
  • Reduced Consultant Dependence: Run dozens of design scenarios in minutes, not weeks.
  • Higher Bid Confidence: Know your site’s constraints (and strengths) before putting in a competitive offer.

When to Use Noise Modeling in Your Workflow

This tool is ideal for:

  • Early-stage site screening
    Rule out acoustically challenging sites before investing time in layout design or land agreements.

  • Layout and design optimization
    Adjust battery placement or introduce noise barriers to meet thresholds and reduce stakeholder pushback.

  • Pre-consultation prep
    Equip your team with visuals and impact maps to present at town halls or permit hearings.

Ready to turn noise risks into confident choices?

This new feature is currently available to all customers who use our BESS offering. If you're interested in learning more about this new feature (or would like to start using BESS!) get in touch with us by booking a demo or by contacting your Customer Success Manager.