The shift towards a future based on renewable energy presents significant challenges, one of the most pressing being energy storage. Worldwide, battery energy storage systems (BESS) are becoming increasingly common, but their rapid growth has raised significant concerns about their safety.
In New York City, Councilman Robert Holden warns that the proliferation of BESS centres, especially in the Staten Island district, is endangering residents and critical infrastructure.
According to researcher Emma Woollacott, BESS centres use thousands of lithium-ion batteries, similar to those found in laptops and electric cars. These batteries are stored in large metal containers and allow for the conservation of energy produced by renewable sources for use when needed.
To achieve the zero emissions targets by 2050, large-scale storage is essential. Sources such as solar or wind generate energy intermittently, and a way to store their surpluses is required.
According to SolarPower Europe, in 2024, 21.9 GWh of battery storage was installed in Europe, enough to power around 16 million households. But this is just the beginning: by 2030, the European Union needs to multiply that capacity by 10.
Despite the advantages, technology is not without risks. One of the main problems is the possibility of severe fires, such as those that occurred in Essex (United Kingdom), Liverpool, and recently in California, where a fire at one of the largest facilities in the world forced the evacuation of 1,500 people.
The usual cause is the phenomenon known as thermal leakage, which can be caused by short circuits, physical damage, or manufacturing defects. This process causes batteries to release heat, flammable and toxic gases, and under unfavourable conditions it can generate chain explosions.
BESS facilities can contain millions of battery cells, and if they are not well protected, fires can spread easily, warns Professor Robert Dryfe, an expert in physical chemistry at the University of Manchester.
In addition to fires, there are also social and environmental concerns: from the impact of material extraction such as cobalt, to the saturation of electrical networks in countries such as Germany.
In the United Kingdom, communities such as Aberdeenshire in Scotland are protesting against new proposals for BESS centres. Marguerite Fleming, a local activist, complains that the promoters do not take into account the risk of forest fires or floods.
Blackford Renewables, the promoting company, has promised to collaborate with the community and apply the highest safety standards.
Currently, there is no unified regulation at the European level regarding the quality and maintenance of BESS systems. Each country follows its own protocols, which, according to SolarPower Europe, hinders deployment.
However, countries such as China, the USA, the United Kingdom, and Australia are already working on technical guidelines to improve safety. New technologies are also being implemented with automatic fire suppression systems and batteries that are less susceptible to combustion.
Despite the risks, experts agree on one thing: the energy future will require storage and batteries are, for now, the best option.
We use more renewable energy, which means that we need greater grid-scale storage capacity. Basically, we have no other choice, concludes Dryfe.
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