Energy storage is essential to decarbonize electricity supplies, but some communities have...
CESA Executive Director Scott Murtishaw recently spoke at the Fire Districts Association of California (FDAC) Annual Conference and Leadership Symposium in Seaside as part of the session Fire Service Funding for BESS and Photovoltaic Energy.
Scott joined Chief Dustin Hail and Chief Jeff Gilbert to explore how fire agencies can better prepare for the growing presence of solar PV and battery energy storage systems, particularly in rural communities whose fire protection services have fewer resources.
The discussion highlighted funding pathways, coordination strategies, and the importance of early collaboration between developers and the fire service to support safe, resilient energy infrastructure. Scott stressed the importance of basing projected impacts on fire districts on the demonstrated safety performance of the type of outdoor, containerized BESS facilities proposed in these areas. He explained that because thermal runaway is limited to one container and these fires self-extinguish within a few hours, incidents pose minimal demands on fire district resources.
CESA values these opportunities to engage directly with fire service leaders and advance reasonable, evidence-based requirements across California.
