Data Centers & Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
Data Centers & Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
Data centers and battery energy storage systems (BESS) are generating questions and discussion in communities across Michigan and around the country. To help residents better understand these technologies, Kalamazoo County Government hosted an educational panel featuring subject matter experts on Thursday, June 25, 2026.
This event was educational in nature. It was not tied to a specific project or proposal, was not a public hearing, and no decisions were made. The purpose was to provide factual and balanced information, address common questions, and create an opportunity for residents to learn from experts.
To provide a balanced educational discussion, industry and development representatives were not invited to serve on the panel. Instead, panelists were selected for their extensive expertise on the subjects at hand from third-party institutions and organizations.
Residents were encouraged to submit questions in advance to help inform the discussion.
Events
Event Information
Event Information
Panelists
Dr. Sarah Mills
Director, Center for EmPowering Communities, University of Michigan Graham Sustainability Institute
Dr. Sarah Mills is Director of the Center for EmPowering Communities and a Professor of Practice in the University of Michigan's Urban & Regional Planning Program. Her research focuses on how renewable energy development impacts communities, including land use, local planning, community engagement, and the role of state and local policies in energy development.
Liesl Clark
Director of Climate Action Engagement, University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability
Liesl Clark leads climate action engagement efforts at the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability. She previously served as Director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and chaired Michigan's Council on Climate Solutions, helping lead development of the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan.
Elizabeth Montez
Miigwech, Inc.
Elizabeth Montez is a Beaver clan citizen of Waganakising Odawa (Little Traverse Bay Bands Odawa) and Forest County Potawatomi descendant, as well as carrying the lineage of Mexico and Appalachia. She is a Board Kwe for Miigwech, Inc, which is a nonprofit organization that is seated in the Anishinaabe Seven Grandfather Teachings. Miigwech, Inc. is driven by a single goal: to promote and practice Mino-Bimaadiziwin (The Good Life) by making our community a better place for all. Elizabeth carries this thread in her work as a lactation consultant and educator, tending to the flames of generations yet to come.
Dr. John Kinch
Executive Director, Michigan Energy Options & Board President, Great Lakes Energy Association
Dr. John Kinch is Executive Director of Michigan Energy Options, a nonprofit organization focused on clean energy and community resilience. With more than 25 years of experience in sustainability and energy initiatives, he has worked with communities across Michigan on renewable energy, community solar, energy financing, and energy infrastructure projects.
Tyler Theile
VP & COO, Director Public Policy & Economic Analysis, Anderson Economic Group
As an expert in economic impact and benchmarking analysis, Ms. Theile has directed projects for universities, U.S. states, trade associations and companies in the automotive, utilities, real estate, housing, alcoholic beverage, and other industries. Ms. Theile’s publications include AEG reports spanning 19 years, including as a lead author on the 2026 AEG Report: Data Center Development in Michigan, Economic & Fiscal Impact Analysis.
Moderator
Sarah Drumm
Economic Mobility Manager, Kalamazoo County Government
Sarah Drumm serves as Kalamazoo County's Economic Mobility Manager. She will moderate the panel discussion, guide audience questions, and facilitate a balanced conversation among panelists on topics related to data centers and battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Educational Panel: Data Centers & Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
Located at the Dale B. Lake Auditorium at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, this moderated panel discussion will bring together subject matter experts to discuss topics such as public health, energy and water use, land use, economic development, and other community considerations associated with these technologies.