Lithium-ion battery energy storage system safety starts our conversation on In Focus this weekend. David Sandbank, vice president of Distributed Energy Resources at NYSERDA, spoke with JoDee Kenney. Sandbank also sits on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Inter-Agency Fire Safety Working Group, that he says is working to assess fire safety of large-scale lithium-ion and other battery energy storage systems. The group is also working to establish an emergency response plan, that Sandbank said, will give firefighters the tools they need to safely handle these new emergencies. Sandbank said in the battery energy storage system fires this year, there have been know injuries and an analysis of soil, water, and other samples near the fire scenes has shown no cause for alarm.

You can watch the full interview with David Sandbank via the above video player. And be sure to tune in for a look inside the biggest issues impacting upstate New York on In Focus with JoDee Kenney — every Sunday on Spectrum News 1.