Farmers and the Baw Baw Shire Council in Victoria's Gippsland region are pushing back against proposals for large-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) on agricultural land. Companies like Samsung, ZEBRE, and ib vogt are seeking approval for these facilities, intended to stabilize the grid as coal power closes. However, local residents, including farmer James Faithful, express strong concerns about the loss of productive farmland, fire risks, noise, and visual impacts. The council supports renewable energy but insists that BESS projects should not be sited on farmland, urging the government to find alternative locations. Developers highlight safety measures and the necessity of BESS for the energy transition, while community groups like Friends of Gippsland are petitioning against the projects. The situation reflects a broader challenge in balancing energy infrastructure needs with the preservation of agricultural heritage.