We’re pleased to report that the company that had proposed a battery storage facility in the heart of Coyote Valley has announced they are abandoning the project. Thanks to everyone who took action to oppose this battery storage facility!
The Threat: Battery Storage Facility in Coyote Valley
Ever since the San Jose City Council voted in 2021 to rezone Coyote Valley for agriculture and open space, industrial development has been forbidden in Coyote Valley. But in 2022, a proposal for a battery storage facility on 128 acres of farmland in the heart of Coyote Valley was submitted to the City. The City rejected the proposal because it conflicted with San Jose’s zoning and land use regulations. But earlier this year, a company called AES announced that they intended to bypass the city’s denial and apply to the California Energy Commission for approval.
The battery storage facility, called the Jewelflower project, would have been surrounded on three sides by protected open space land and on the fourth side by an elementary school. The site was in the middle of a key wildlife corridor and situated on prime farmland that had been used to grow crops such as pumpkins and sweet corn for decades.
Fortunately, vocal opposition from the community, including Green Foothills and our partners, made it clear that the Jewelflower project was a bad idea. Parents at the elementary school – the Charter School of Morgan Hill – launched an online petition against the project, pointing out the risk of fires like the one that occurred at the Vistra facility in Moss Landing in January 2025. That fire burned for several days, spewing toxic smoke and heavy metals over a wide area, contaminating Elkhorn Slough and causing significant health impacts in nearby communities.
When the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority’s Board of Directors considered a resolution opposing the Jewelflower project, Green Foothills supporters submitted over 250 emails urging them to pass the resolution. Thanks to everyone who emailed, called in, or attended the meeting in person!
On Monday, AES announced that they would not move forward with the Jewelflower project. We are glad that AES has recognized that Coyote Valley is the wrong place for a battery storage facility!
What’s Next?
While we’re pleased that AES has abandoned the Jewelflower project, other developers may still attempt to bypass San Jose’s zoning and General Plan by asking the California Energy Commission to approve a battery storage or other energy facility in Coyote Valley. We must remain vigilant and make it clear that these facilities should not be located here. Battery storage is needed for clean energy like solar and wind, but it is an industrial use, and it should be located in an industrial area – not on open space or farmland, and especially not in Coyote Valley.
Protecting Coyote Valley, and other special places across our region, takes sustained community support. If you value this work, please consider making a gift to help Green Foothills continue protecting local nature, farmland, and wildlife
