Recent energy storage fires in San Diego led to one of the region’s cities imposing a ban on new energy storage projects – such steps emphasize the need for the storage sector to do everything possible to mitigate fire risk
Earlier this year, it emerged that the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is to tighten battery energy storage safety regulations due to heightened community concern after a number of major battery fires in the region.
Reports said the new regulations would “affect future energy storage projects and 10 that are already in the county’s pipeline” [1]. They added that the new regulations would be based on a technical study the county fire department was completing in coordination with battery storage consultants.
Upon completion of the study, county fire officials will then work with seven other independent fire districts in unincorporated areas of San Diego County to come up with one uniform safety standard for battery projects. Among the proposals that will be considered are buffer zones to protect residential areas in the event of a battery storage fire breaking out.
San Diego authorities under pressure after recent storage fires
San Diego authorities have come under increasing pressure to tackle the issue of battery storage fire risk after a number of high-profile fire incidents in the region. In May this year, a fire at the 250MW Gateway Energy Storage facility in San Diego – owned by LS Power and the largest energy storage project in the world at the time of its unveiling in 2020 – burned for a number of days and led to evacuation orders [2]. It was also report that the California fire department has said that “harmful gasses” were making access an issue for firefighters [3].
Meanwhile, in September of this year, a lithium-ion battery fire forced hundreds of businesses to evacuate in the city of Escondido in San Diego County [4]. The businesses were evacuated for a number of days following the outbreak of the fire, while firefighters allowed the batteries to burn out.
Moratorium imposed on new battery storage sites
Following the fire, in October, the Escondido city authorities took the step of prohibiting new battery energy storage sites amid concerns about fires and explosions [5]. Escondido has become the first city in the region to impose a moratorium on battery energy storage sites, with the city council voting “unanimously to put temporary restrictions in place until they can iron out better regulations” [6].
It is understood the authority is – in addition to the temporary restrictions – also considering the possibility of a 10-month moratorium on new battery storage projects. Previously, San Diego County has voted against a moratorium on new battery storage sites, but Escondido city authorities have taken the step of imposing a ban.
Storage ban highlights need to prioritize tackling storage fire risk
The fact that one US city has taken the step of imposing a ban on new battery storage projects emphasizes the need for energy storage developers and asset owners to do all they can to mitigate fire risk.
With the lives of first responders, billions of dollars of energy storage investment, and the storage industry’s reputation in jeopardy in California and elsewhere, developers and owners must make energy storage fire safety a priority. In addition to the potential danger to life, battery storage fire incidents can cost developers, owners or operators up to $2 million as a result of the catastrophic loss of an asset and loss of revenue from up to 18 months’ worth of downtime.
Stay vigilant
Continuous analysis and review are essential to ensure compliance with the latest requirements and regulations regarding energy storage safety in order to maintain optimal safety standards. Organizations must stay vigilant and adapt to changes to effectively manage risks associated with energy storage systems.
It is also important to consider the inclusion of a battery management system, which monitors, controls, and optimizes performance of individual or multiple battery modules, and can also control the disconnection of the modules from the system in the event of abnormal conditions.
Consideration should also be given to the fact that only 11% of fires and explosions are linked to battery module failures, according to EPRI [Electric Power Research Institute], with 43% stemming from failures in electrical equipment such as PCS [power conversion systems], and 46% attributable to control equipment malfunctions [7].