Each year, Fire Prevention Week serves as an important reminder that fire safety begins long before an emergency occurs. This year's focus on lithium-ion battery safety highlights a technology that has become increasingly common in everyday life, powering everything from smartphones and laptops to electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage systems.
As lithium-ion battery technology continues to expand into critical infrastructure applications, understanding and managing associated fire risks remains an important part of supporting safe operation and long-term reliability. This is particularly true for modular Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), which are playing an increasingly important role in modern energy infrastructure.
This Fire Prevention Week, we'll explore the growing role of lithium-ion batteries in modular Battery Energy Storage Systems, the fire safety considerations associated with these installations, and how proactive evaluation and compliance efforts can help support safer deployment.
The Growing Role of Lithium-Ion Batteries in Energy Storage
Lithium-ion batteries have become a cornerstone of modern energy storage technology. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), lithium-ion batteries account for virtually all new battery storage deployments today, making them the dominant technology used in modern energy storage systems.
Their widespread adoption is driven by several advantages, including high energy density, efficient performance, and the ability to support a wide range of applications. Today, lithium-ion batteries help support renewable energy integration, backup power, and grid reliability through Battery Energy Storage Systems.
These systems can store energy when production exceeds demand and discharge it when power is needed most, helping balance the electrical grid and support renewable energy resources. While lithium-ion technology offers numerous benefits, its growing use in large-scale energy storage applications underscores the importance of understanding and addressing potential safety risks. As energy storage adoption accelerates, confirming these systems are designed, installed, and operated with safety in mind remains critical to supporting long-term reliability and performance.
Why Modular BESS Centers Continue to Gain Adoption
As demand for energy storage continues to increase, many organizations are turning to modular Battery Energy Storage System centers as a flexible and scalable solution. Unlike traditional energy storage installations, modular BESS centers are designed using containerized or modular units that can be deployed, expanded, or reconfigured as energy needs evolve.
This modular approach offers several advantages, including faster deployment, improved scalability, and the ability to add capacity over time without requiring a completely new installation. As a result, modular BESS centers are being used in a wide range of applications, including renewable energy projects, utility infrastructure, manufacturing facilities, data centers, and backup power systems.
The growth of these systems reflects the broader expansion of the energy storage market. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), utility-scale battery storage capacity in the United States has grown at an average annual rate of approximately 70% over the past three years, reaching nearly 52 GW by mid-2026.
As modular BESS projects become more prevalent across a variety of industries, the importance of addressing the safety, compliance, and operational considerations associated with these installations also increases. Understanding the unique fire risks associated with lithium-ion battery technology is an important part of helping support safer deployment and operation.
Fire Safety Considerations for Modular BESS Installations
While lithium-ion batteries offer significant benefits for energy storage, they also present unique fire safety challenges that should be carefully considered when designing, installing, and operating modular BESS centers.
One of the primary concerns associated with lithium-ion battery systems is thermal runaway, a condition in which a battery cell experiences an uncontrolled increase in temperature. In certain circumstances, heat generated by a failing cell can spread to neighboring cells, potentially resulting in a larger system event.
In modular BESS installations, another important consideration is fire propagation between modules. Because these systems are often made up of multiple battery containers or enclosures operating in close proximity, it is important to consider how an incident in one unit could impact nearby equipment.
Additional fire safety considerations may include:
- Flammable and toxic gas generation during failure events
- Fire detection and suppression system effectiveness
- Ventilation requirements
- Separation distances between units
- Site-specific installation and operating conditions
As larger and more sophisticated BESS installations enter service, addressing these considerations becomes an increasingly important part of fire prevention planning. A proactive approach focused on system design, risk mitigation, and safety evaluation can help support safer deployment, operation, and long-term performance.
Supporting Safe BESS Deployments Through Standards, Testing, and Independent Evaluation
To help address the fire safety considerations associated with modular BESS installations, the energy storage industry relies on a combination of codes, standards, testing programs, and independent evaluations. These resources play an important role in supporting proactive fire prevention efforts by helping organizations identify, evaluate, and mitigate potential hazards before systems are placed into service.
Key resources include:
- NFPA 855: Standard for the Installation of Stationary Energy Storage Systems
- UL 9540: Standard for Energy Storage Systems and Equipment
- UL 9540A: Standard Test Method for Evaluating Thermal Runaway Fire Propagation in Battery Energy Storage Systems
While standards and testing programs establish an important foundation for safety, real-world installations often require additional review. As projects incorporate custom configurations, modular infrastructure, and site-specific designs, organizations may need independent third-party support to help assess compliance, address potential concerns, and support regulatory approval efforts.
NFPA Global Solutions provides independent third-party field evaluations for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) that assess safety and code compliance to support regulatory approval and Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) acceptance. These evaluations can be particularly valuable for custom-built, modified, or site-specific installations where traditional certification pathways may not fully apply.
Beyond the energy storage equipment itself, modular BESS centers often utilize industrialized modular structures and equipment enclosures to house critical electrical and control systems. NFPA Global Solutions also provides independent third-party support for industrialized modular structures and equipment enclosures that helps confirm code compliance and readiness for regulatory approval and market deployment.
By evaluating both the BESS installation and the modular infrastructure that supports it, organizations can take a more comprehensive approach to safety, compliance, and fire prevention.
Conclusion
As lithium-ion batteries play an increasingly important role in modern energy infrastructure, modular Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) centers are helping support renewable energy integration, grid reliability, and energy resilience efforts. Along with these benefits, however, come important fire safety considerations that must be addressed throughout the lifecycle of an installation.
From thermal runaway and fire propagation concerns to system design, testing, and compliance requirements, supporting safe BESS deployment requires a proactive approach. Fire prevention extends beyond emergency response and includes evaluating systems before they are placed into service, identifying potential risks, and helping demonstrate compliance throughout the deployment process.
By leveraging applicable standards, independent evaluations, and compliance-focused reviews, organizations can better understand the risks associated with modular BESS installations while supporting safer deployment and long-term operational confidence. Evaluating both the energy storage systems and the modular infrastructure that supports them can help promote regulatory confidence, operational readiness, and the continued advancement of energy storage technologies.
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