Major Fire at World’s Largest Battery Facility: Implications for Clean Energy Progress

A fire broke out at the world’s largest battery storage plant in California, causing significant damage. The blaze at the Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility destroyed 300 megawatts of energy storage, forced the evacuation of 1,200 residents, and created smoke plumes that could pose health risks to both people and wildlife. This incident wiped out about 2% of California’s energy storage capacity, which is crucial for the state’s efforts to rely more on renewable energy and less on fossil fuels.

The fire started on January 16, engulfing a building filled with lithium batteries. Fortunately, other structures on the site, including more batteries and a natural gas plant, remained safe. By the next morning, officials noted that the flames had diminished significantly.

Glenn Church, a county supervisor, emphasized the seriousness of the situation, calling it a wake-up call for the industry. He insisted that if California wants to move forward with sustainable energy, a safer battery system is essential. After a brief period of quiet, the fire flared up again, prompting an extended evacuation order.

Firefighters often allow lithium fires to burn out due to their intense heat and the toxic substances they release, like hydrogen fluoride. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, and air monitoring systems did not detect hydrogen fluoride levels. However, the smoke likely contained harmful chemicals, including heavy metals and PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals.”

Officials are advising residents of Monterey County to stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut. These precautions are necessary to avoid inhaling potentially dangerous substances, which could also affect local wildlife, including sea otters in nearby wetlands.

The damaged facility was one of two owned by Vistra Energy, a Texas-based company. They have faced issues before, such as overheating batteries, but the building that caught fire used a water-based suppression system, the failure of which is still under investigation.

Despite this setback, large-scale battery systems have seen a remarkable 97% decrease in fire-related incidents globally from 2018 to 2023. Maria Chavez from the Union of Concerned Scientists noted that this trend is remarkable, especially as the deployment of energy storage systems continues to rise. She pointed out that battery systems are engineered with multiple safety features, yet accidents can still happen.

California has better emergency response plans compared to many states, thanks to a law requiring local governments and battery developers to work together. Moving forward, experts highlight the importance of learning from incidents like the Moss Landing fire to enhance future storage systems’ safety.

Losing the 300-megawatt capacity will significantly impact Moss Landing’s overall energy storage ability, which is part of California’s larger 13,300-megawatt capacity. Moss Landing plays a vital role in storing renewable energy and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Recovery and rebuilding efforts could take years, which poses more challenges to California’s energy plans.

Dustin Mulvaney stressed the urgency of preventing such incidents, stating, “We can’t afford to lose 300 megawatts overnight.”