CONCERNED RESIDENTS ASK HOW THEY WILL EVACUATE THEIR LIVESTOCK IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE

What is a BESS?

BESS stands for Battery Energy Storage System. Up until recently BESS facilities were only intended for use with solar and wind farms. This was a way to store the energy they created so that it could be used to store the electricity generated and send it out during times when the wind turbines do not run or it is dark outside. This all changed with the Inflation Reduction Act which now allowed stand alone BESS facilities to be constructed. These stand alone systems are being connected to the traditional power grid. A BESS facility consists of shipping containers that measure 12.9M (40 feet long), 2.4M (8 feet wide) and 2.4M (8 feet tall). Each container houses thousands of Lithium-ion Batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries aren’t new, but large scale BESS systems are!

Nearly all BESS facilities in North America have been built in the last 2-3 years or are currently under construction. Per a discussion with a leading expert around BESS safety that works with large power companies, there isn’t much data on failure rates because battery companies are reluctant to share that data as we are seeing brand new facilities exploding and catching fire in the news on a regular basis.

Given how new BESS installations are, there also isn’t information about the long-term failure rates, health impact, or environmental impact from these facilities.

Many of these facilities are NOT built by local power companies but rather by independent operators/investors who live in other locations. They make a profit by storing energy when demand is low (e.g. night) and selling it back when demand is high (e.g. day). Most of these facilities are located on private property and not on the utility company’s property. Third party contractors are hired to install and maintain the BESS. They rely on battery companies to provide information and train local first responders. And when something happens, they all point the finger at each other and leave the residents of the local community alone with no recourse other than expensive legal action.