Utility-scale battery energy storage is a critical component to achieving our decarbonization objectives while maintaining a reliable and resilient power grid. Deployment of utility-scale battery energy storage capacity is accelerating dramatically in the U.S. However, both local firefighters and people living near proposed energy storage project site have questions about the safety of these facilities. This presentation will address the characteristics of lithium-ion BESS systems, potential hazards such as thermal runaway, and new approaches to mitigate those risks. These advancements encompass equipment safety approaches; a four-stage approach to effective protection against thermal runaway; advancements in enclosure design; monitoring systems; standardized testing; codes and standards; safety evaluation processes; as well as passive and active safety measures. The presentation will also provide examples of how clean energy project developers can work together most effectively with local fire departments on hazard mitigation analyses, project site design refinements, and emergency response planning to enhance energy storage safety further.
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