The recent Los Angeles fires have highlighted the dangers of overcrowding and inadequate infrastructure in California. Now, a similar disaster is looming over the city of Goleta, where a lithium-ion battery storage plant sits quietly in one of its busiest residential areas.
A fire at a large-scale lithium-ion battery energy storage facility in Moss Landing, Northern California, forced the evacuation of 1,200 residents and businesses within an 8-mile radius. The toxic smoke from the fire caused respiratory issues and other unusual symptoms among nearby residents.
The city of Goleta is home to a similar battery storage plant, with 44 Tesla Megapacks capable of generating 60 megawatts of electricity. However, few people know it exists, and there is no clear emergency protocol in place for a lithium-ion fire. An evacuation area of just one mile around the facility could encompass part of the airport, Isla Vista, and several neighborhoods, including those that are still under development.
According to research, there have been 40 known fires at large-scale lithium-ion battery energy storage systems in recent years. While Tesla Megapacks like those in Goleta’s plant may be considered safer than older models, there have already been incidents involving them.
The city of Goleta should consider being transparent about the possibility of a lithium-ion fire and have a plan in place for such an event. It is also crucial to address concerns over the lack of improvements to the roads to carry the added traffic that comes with building new homes in areas like Glen Annie.
As one concerned citizen pointed out, why shouldn’t the city provide facts about its emergency procedures or reassure citizens that nothing bad could happen at the Goleta energy storage facility? The time has come for open discussion and transparency on this issue.
Source: https://www.edhat.com/news/op-ed-is-goleta-prepared-for-a-possible-fire-at-densely-populated-lithium-ion-battery-storage-facility