SANTA CRUZ >> Local environmental leaders have planned a series of workshops that aim to give Santa Cruz County residents more information about what has become a hot-button energy technology issue amid a wave of public interest and concern.

The county’s Commission on the Environment will convene three public information sessions in the coming weeks focused on the benefits and risks of battery energy storage systems and the role they are poised to play in modernizing the energy grid.

The technical workshops will all be held from 5-8 p.m. June 25, July 30 and Aug. 27 inside the Board Chambers of the Santa Cruz County Governmental Center at 701 Ocean St., 5th Floor, in Santa Cruz. Remote participation will also be available via Zoom.

“These workshops are a chance for the community to engage with world-class experts and better understand the opportunities and risks associated with large-scale energy storage,” Kris Damhorst, chair of the Commission on the Environment, said in a release. “As we respond to the climate crisis, it’s essential that we examine how new technologies align with our values, safety needs, and long-term environmental goals.”

Advocates for the battery energy storage system technology, often referred to as BESS, contend that it will serve as a key component of California’s shift away from fossil fuels because it offers a place where excess renewable energy — particularly solar and wind — can be stored when renewable generation is unavailable. The result is a stable grid that gives state utility providers enough of a cushion to meet peak demand periods while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.

But recent events have created a vocal group of residents in the region who are skeptical that the benefits outweigh the potential costs.

That skepticism can be traced back to January, when a fire at the Moss Landing Vistra Energy power plant — one of the largest battery storage facilities in the world — forced the evacuation of 1,200 people in the area and sent plumes of toxic smoke into the air for hours. About a month later, the facility, located only a few miles outside of Santa Cruz County, experienced another flareup that burned overnight and prompted an advisory from Monterey County for residents in the area to remain indoors and close their doors and windows.

A few weeks after the original incident, researchers in a lab at San Jose State University’s Moss Landing Marine Laboratories reported they had detected unusually high concentrations of heavy-metal nanoparticles in nearby marshland soils. This prompted the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to order some soil testing of their own in South County, but those results found no significant abnormalities.

The incident in January also sparked a lawsuit from a group of Monterey County residents that was filed against several companies responsible for the Moss Landing facility fire and alleged negligence and liability for hazardous materials.

Hovering above all of this is a proposed 14-acre battery storage project at 90 Minto Road near Watsonville that has been the subject of much concern and scrutiny from the public, despite assurances from the project developer that the technology is safe.

According to the county’s release, the June 25 workshop will feature presentations on the climate change context for energy storage and the role of battery energy storage systems in the regional power grid. Speakers will include Mark Jacobson, director of Stanford University’s Atmosphere/Energy Program and a leading expert on clean energy systems. Jacobson will also be appearing as a representative from Central Coast Community Energy, or 3CE, which has committed to achieving 100% renewable energy by 2030.

Subsequent workshops will unpack battery technology innovations, fire prevention and emergency response as well as evolving best practices. While technical in nature, the sessions are designed to be accessible to the general public, according to the release.

The workshops will not address land use planning, zoning decisions or specific project proposals.

The Zoom link is santacruzcounty-us.zoomgov.com/j/1614371967.