In this week’s roundup of Santa Cruz County business news, Jessica M. Pasko reports on Scotts Valley-based Ambient Photonics’ bid to replace small batteries with low-light solar cells, owners of English Ales putting the brewery up for sale, and Santa Cruz County Bank rebranding as West Coast Community Bank.
Ambient Photonics
Ambient Photonics takes on the battery with its low-light solar tech
Headquartered in Scotts Valley, Ambient Photonics has a mission to reduce consumer dependency on single-use, disposable batteries. The replacement? Small solar cells that can harvest and store energy under low-light conditions, making them well-suited for small appliances such as computer mice or keyboards.

