What a major battery fire means for the future of energy storage
1 min read
Summary
Last month a fire broke out at the Moss Landing power plant in California, considered to be one of the largest battery storage facilities in the world.
Vistra Energy, owner of the site, has said that most of the batteries in the affected building were destroyed, but the company has been unable to provide a precise number as inspections are yet to be completed.
The incident is not the first to occur at the plant, but the earlier fires were described as minor in comparison.
Local residents have complained of health issues potentially linked to the blaze, and some environmental tests have discovered pollutants in the soil and water in the surrounding area.
A lawsuit has now been filed against Vistra by a local residents’ group, with famed environmental campaigner Erin Brockovich involved in the case.
The lawsuit raises serious questions about the safety of battery storage technology, which is set to see significant growth over the next decade as the world transitions to low-carbon energy sources.