EPA Issues BESS Safety Guidance to Reduce Battery Fire Risk

New federal guidelines share field-proven, full-lifecycle recommendations for managing BESS sites to prevent and respond to thermal runaway incidents

To minimize the potential for battery fire incidents, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released new safety guidance for battery energy storage systems (BESS), covering the full lifecycle of such projects — from siting and installation to emergency response and cleanup.

The new fact sheet, "Battery Energy Storage Systems: Main Considerations for Safe Installation and Incident Response" EPA 530-F-25-013, compiles existing research and best practices to support facility operators with improving BESS safety. It draws insights from experienced fire departments, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), and other organizations. 

BESS risk and demand

BESS installations receive and store energy from the grid or renewable energy sources, releasing it as needed to compensate for power fluctuations or to adapt to peaks in demand. BESS can enhance grid stability, power quality, and reliability. 

BESS facilities can greatly improve the dependability of power generation from renewable resources to help reduce carbon emissions, and they are generally seen as "clean" and beneficial to the environment. However, the lithium-ion batteries most common in BESS installations are susceptible to thermal runaway if they suffer damage or experience faults.

"Clear and comprehensive incident response plans are critical when managing BESS sites to ensure preparedness in the event of a battery fire."

— U.S. EPA Publication 530-F-25-013

Such BESS thermal failure events are rare, and their incident rate has decreased by more than 50 percent since 2020, but the resulting fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish. These fires also create potentially unhealthy emissions and the disposal of burned or impacted batteries poses serious challenges. Community opposition to BESS facilities has been an ongoing impediment to new construction for several years, and the EPA document cites recent events, the aftermath of their cleanup, and media exposure as part of the impetus for its new fact sheet. 

What does the new guidance include? 

The EPA's new guidance gives a clear outline of proactive recommendations that communities, builders, and operators can take, as well as practical steps for all stakeholders, including designers, operators, and first responders. 

• Installation considerations. Before siting and deploying a facility, EPA suggests several proactive safety measures that can be included in a BESS design plan (e.g., battery chemistry, manufacturing quality assurance, etc.) to help minimize the risk of thermal runaway and quickly alert emergency personnel and communities.
• Facility incident response. The EPA also lists essential elements for BESS incident response plans. These include having self-contained breathing apparatuses available for employees and establishing upwind/uphill isolation zones for first responders.
• First responder planning. In addition to listing some basic best practices for preventing the spread of fire and containing runoff from firefighting water, EPA advises researching existing plans and recommendations from fire departments and other agencies experienced in controlling BESS incidents.
• Links to resources. Finally, EPA's three-page document concludes with links to numerous recommended federal and local agency web pages, fact sheets, toolkits, best practices, and other resources to help BESS operators and first responders plan and prepare for incidents.

What's next for BESS?

Adhering to best practices in planning and risk management for BESS will be critical to their continued implementation and success. Even as BESS operations mature and fires become less common, their impacts can cause financial and reputational damage, as well as increase community friction when siting future facilities. 

EPA's guidance offers a strong foundation, but the relevant technologies, regulations, and best practices are extensive, complex, and continuing to evolve. Operators seeking to accelerate deployment and response plans can benefit from carefully considering risks and mitigation strategies that support the full BESS lifecycle, from locating and permitting new facilities to developing emergency protocols to having action plans in place for the worst-case scenario.