Frequently Asked Questions
The Seahawk Energy Project is an energy storage project proposed to be located in the College Lake area of the Pajaro Valley that will store and provide clean energy to California’s electricity grid, while strengthening local grid reliability and resilience. The project will contribute a critical piece of infrastructure that will help California’s ongoing evolution to clean, renewable energy that will replace carbon-based energy sources.
The project stores clean energy for use during peak demand periods, reducing the chance of rolling blackouts and “public safety power shutoffs.”
The proposed site is at 90 Minto Road, Watsonville.
New Leaf Energy is a national renewable energy development company that develops valuable battery energy storage, solar and wind projects. The company is leading the industry to a decarbonized future.
A battery will be charged by the existing electricity grid during peak solar hours.
California is an energy-progressive state with specific goals to create long-term, sustainable energy solutions for residents and businesses.
There is a statewide effort to expand energy storage projects to store renewable energy, such as wind and solar. This enables everyone – municipalities, energy companies, residents and businesses – to be more resilient during periods when energy is in high demand and prevents rolling blackouts. During periods of high demand, battery systems, such as the proposed Seahawk Energy Project, can be available to provide much-needed energy resilience to the grid.
Normal operation of a battery system does not pose a risk of fire. Lithium-ion battery storage systems are safe and reliable grid assets rapidly deploying at scale across the U.S. in urban and rural environments.
The batteries proposed for use in the Seahawk Energy Project will utilize a lithium phosphate (LFP) chemistry which provides even greater stability and safety than the commonly used nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) chemistry.
New Leaf Energy will work with the Pajaro Valley Fire Protection District, CALFIRE and other fire officials to ensure the system meets or exceeds all applicable fire code regulations and that fire staff are educated about responding to emergencies at LFP battery storage facilities.
The project will also follow the provisions of Senate Bill 38, authored by Senator John Laird, which establishes protocols to protect the health and well-being of workers and surrounding communities. Specifically, SB 38 requires the development of an emergency response plan, to be created in close coordination with local emergency response agencies and submitted to local government, as well as a notification and communication procedure.
New Leaf Energy uses state-of-the-art integrated lithium-ion energy storage systems. Lithium-ion is the same battery chemistry that can be found in smartphones, laptops, and other household electronics. Lithium-ion "cells" are housed in outdoor-rated metal utility cabinets and controlled electronically. The systems are supported by concrete foundations.
The Seahawk Energy Project will provide the equivalent of 200 megawatts of energy.
The project will use prevailing wage / local union labor and will provide 50 full-time jobs during construction and 5 permanent jobs during operation.
Construction typically takes about 4 to 6 months. Hours of construction will occur during normal business hours, or whatever is mandated by the County. Most of the construction does not involve heavy machinery.
There are a limited number of substations on the California Independent System Operator's electricity grid that can interconnect with a battery storage system as proposed with the Seahawk project. The Green Valley substation is one such substation and it was recently upgraded by PG&E, saving costs for California ratepayers to implement the project.
The Seahawk batteries will utilize a lithium phosphate (LFP) chemistry which is much more stable than the currently widely deployed nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) chemistry, which further reduces the possibility of fire. The energy storage system will have redundant fire protection systems including remote monitoring, auto-shutoff, and active, non-aqueous fire suppression systems.
The project is being planned in collaboration with the Pajaro Valley Fire Protection District and CALFIRE, with input from other nearby by fire protection agencies, to ensure it meets or exceeds all relevant fire regulations.
New Leaf Energy will actively protect its battery from outside damage. The system will be surrounded by a sound wall, and the energy storage cabinets and site access will be locked at all times. Only necessary operations and emergency personnel will have access.