A senior fire officer has called for greater authority to enforce safety standards at battery energy storage systems (BESS), as concerns over fire risks mount.

BESS facilities store renewable energy, often from wind and solar farms, using thousands of lithium-ion batteries housed in shipping-style containers. This stored energy can then be released into the grid during times of high demand. However, the scale and nature of these installations are raising red flags among fire services.

Henry Griffin, Suffolk’s Deputy Chief Fire Officer, described BESS sites as an “emerging risk” and acknowledged growing concern within local communities.

“There can be complications with vapour clouds and fires will last a long time,” Mr Griffin said. “It is an emerging risk for us and we are alive to it.”

He is advocating for fire services to have powers comparable to those used for commercial properties, enabling them to formally enforce safety requirements at BESS locations.

“I’d like to see a power that is akin to a regulatory order like those for a commercial property, where we would have the power to enforce safety measures on those sites,” he explained.

At present, fire and rescue services serve only as “contributing partners,” offering “direction and professional advice” to developers but lacking enforcement capability.

Lithium-ion batteries, also widely used in consumer electronics, e-bikes, and electric vehicles, are known to present hazards when damaged or improperly charged.

Professor Paul Christensen, a lithium-ion battery specialist at the University of Newcastle, explained that damaged cells can enter a state of “thermal runaway.”

“When the batteries are overcharged, they can produce an ‘exothermic’ chemical reaction which produce large volumes of explosive and toxic gas and additional heat,” he said.

“Eventually what you get is the gas venting from the individual cells. This can ignite to flames or you can actually get an explosion, when heat transfers from cell to cell. It’s called thermal propagation.”

Despite these risks, Prof Christensen emphasised that the batteries are “perfectly safe” when operated within prescribed limits.

Dr Catherine Judkins, chair of the Say No to Sunnica community group, said some residents are “absolutely petrified” by the potential for fires at the proposed 2,500-acre (1,011-hectare) BESS site.

“They burn for many hours, if not days and weeks,” she said. “While they’re burning they omit highly toxic emissions over wide areas and have caused, in other cities across the world, mass evacuations.”

Although the government approved the Sunnica project last July with provisions aimed at mitigating fire risks, local fears remain high. West Suffolk MP Nick Timothy has also raised concerns, pointing to the “threat of sabotage” due to the site’s proximity to RAF Mildenhall.

BESS operations are currently regulated by the Health and Safety Executive, which is responsible for ensuring that operators and installers have appropriate safety measures in place.

A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson noted: “Every wind turbine we put up, every solar panel we install and every battery storage facility we construct helps protect families from future energy shocks.

“Battery fires at storage sites are rare in the UK. We already have high safety standards in place that require manufacturers and industry to ensure batteries are safe throughout their lifespan.”

Sunnica was contacted for comment.

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