Grundy County Board Unanimously Approves Resolution Halting New Battery Energy Storage System Permits Amid Safety Concerns
Key Insights
U.S. energy storage deployment grew 18-fold from 2017 to 2022, while fire incidents increased by a much smaller margin, demonstrating improving safety alongside rapid expansion.
Massachusetts data shows no BESS facility fires among 51 lithium-ion battery incidents reported in six months, with most attributed to consumer electronics.
Expert analysis indicates BESS fires are short-lived, typically consuming themselves within two to eight hours, and post-incident monitoring detects no harmful levels of toxins.
Comparative analysis reveals the annual failure rate of BESS facilities is comparable to that of regular residential house fires in the U.S., around 0.3%.
Recent statistical analyses underscore the low-risk profile of grid-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), challenging public perceptions and reinforcing their critical role in greening the grid. Despite an exponential increase in deployment, industry data indicates that safety incidents remain remarkably low, comparable to common residential fire occurrences. This evidence, compiled from various industry and fire safety reports, is pivotal for informed policy-making and continued investment in energy storage infrastructure.
The American Clean Power Association (ACP) reports a dramatic 18-fold increase in U.S. energy storage deployment between 2017 and 2022, from 645 megawatt-hours (MWh) to 12,191 MWh. Over the same period, worldwide fire incidents related to BESS facilities rose only marginally, from two to twelve, demonstrating a significant improvement in safety protocols relative to growth. This trend highlights the efficacy of advancements in battery safety management, including those codified in recent National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) regulations.
Further supporting this safety record, the Massachusetts Fire Incident Reporting Systemâs new lithium-ion battery fire form logged 51 incidents over its first six months. Crucially, none of these fires were attributed to large-scale BESS facilities, with 36 linked to consumer electronics such as laptops, cellphones, and e-bikes. By the end of 2024, Massachusetts operated 4,600 BESS, including 290 large stand-alone installations, yet reported no facility-related fires within the specified period.
Addressing concerns about fire duration and environmental impact, Nick Petrakis, former assistant deputy director of the New York City Fire Departmentâs Bureau of Fire Prevention Sustainability Unit, stated that large-scale BESS fires, if fully involved, typically consume themselves within two to eight hours. This refutes claims of prolonged burning events. Moreover, a March 2025 review of 35 battery storage incidents over 15 years by Fire and Risk Alliance LLC for ACP concluded that post-incident monitoring in California and New York showed no detectable hazardous concentrations of toxic chemicals like hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen cyanide, with airborne emissions largely confined to the immediate vicinity.
An analysis by The Camelot Energy Group in July 2024, titled âPutting BESS Fires in Everyday Context,â found that the annual failure rate for BESS facilities is approximately 0.3%, based on 10 reported failures over two years. This rate is comparable to the annual rate of regular house fires across the U.S., which stands at about 0.3% based on U.S. Fire Administration data. The report also noted that pollutants released from BESS fires, such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and organic hydrocarbons, are not unique and are commonly found in fires involving everyday objects in homes and offices. This comprehensive data provides a robust foundation for understanding and managing the risks associated with BESS, reinforcing their viability as a cornerstone of future energy grids.