The Redwood Coast Energy Authority board on Nov. 24 approved a 20‑year energy storage service agreement for two Flycatcher battery projects to be sited at the former Fairhaven biomass plant.

Richard Engle, director of power resources, said the project consists of two adjacent 3‑megawatt systems (6 MW combined) with four‑hour duration (24 megawatt‑hours total), using lithium‑iron‑phosphate batteries. The developer, Ignite Energy, presented interconnection studies and said a generation interconnection agreement (SGIA) with Pacific Gas and Electric Corp. is expected to be finalized within 15–20 days.

"This is only a 6 megawatt project, and the existing interconnection for the biomass plant was around 18," Engle said, noting the scheme uses lessons learned from a prior failed project at the same site. Ignite representative Nathan Hightower said the company completed power‑flow studies and is closing on an SGIA; the team believes there is additional feeder capacity that could enable expansion in future if a new solicitation were run.

Staff told the board the Flycatcher proposal shows positive economics, with a net present value of about $2.3 million, and that timing is tight because the developer needs to start construction before year‑end to capture available tax credits. Public and board questions focused on expansion potential, interconnection capacity, battery counts and safety; the developer said each Flycatcher unit will use three battery containers and that lithium‑iron‑phosphate chemistry improves safety compared with earlier chemistries.

The board approved Resolution 2025‑7, authorizing execution of the energy storage service agreement (voice vote). Staff said the project is expected to come online in April 2027.