Safety concerns as West Yorkshire sees surge in BESS applications
Councils and fire services often find themselves “behind the curve” when it comes to dealing with controversial battery storage systems.
A meeting of Councillors from across West Yorkshire heard that a mix of ever evolving technology, lack of national guidance and increasing numbers of applications leave authorities struggling to know how to deal with the wave of applications for such sites that has been seen in recent years.
West Yorkshire Fire Authority’s Community Safety Committee were given an update on Battery Energy Storage Systems on Friday.
An increasingly common feature across the world, BESSs are large scale collections of lithium ion batteries that are used to store energy generated from wind, solar and other green energy systems.
This energy can then be pumped into the National Grid when needed.
Because such systems need to be in semi-rural areas, away from homes, and linked to the National Grid, Wilsden in Bradford has seen a wave of application for BESSs – the Bradford West sub station is located just outside the village.
The emergence of BESSs has caused concerns among many – although rare, fires involving such systems can last for days and prove extremely difficult to extinguish.
There concerns have led to numerous objections from locals and Councillors when such sites are proposed.
There are currently a number of applications for battery sites in Bradford working their way through the planning system.
These include an application for a battery storage site at Old Allen Road in Wilsden, and another at Peat Dykes Farm, Harrop Lane, Wilsden.
Approvals have been granted in recent years for developments at Duncombe Road in Bradford, a site off Midland Road, another site off Harrop Lane in Wilsden and at the Holmfield Industrial Estate in Queensbury.
The report to the meeting said: “West Yorkshire Fire Service recognise the UK Government’s strategic priorities of energy independence and security whilst the country is transitioning to an environment that is less reliant on fossil fuels.“This necessitates innovation and the use of grid scale Battery Energy Storage Systems and we understand that they are a fundamental part of the UK’s move toward a sustainable energy system.
“When managed correctly lithium-ion batteries can be operated safely and the likelihood of problems are low. However, when faults do occur, these batteries can pose a significant fire risk.”
At Friday’s meeting Area Manager David Teggart acknowledged that fires involving these systems can be dangerous, but said: “Being realistic, these are rare occasions.
“Everyone in this room probably has a mobile phone in their pocket and an iPad at home. They all use lithium ion batteries. But with these systems we’re talking an industrial scale.
“The technology is moving quickly because ultimately it is a race to store as much power as possible as it’s being generated.
“Ultimately, the Government and ourselves are struggling to keep up with the changing technology.
“I know there have been fears over these sites, and in the grand scheme of things they are probably unrealistic.”
He said it is very rare for such sites to catch fire – there have so far been two documented fires in the UK, but he added: “When they do catch fire they can be very nasty.”
He told members that due to the ever-evolving technology and lack of guidance, the service could offer advice to Councils and planning committees, but Mr Teggart added: “To be brutally honest, we’re not experts.
“We can speak to a planning committee, but we can’t say ‘this is the absolute truth.’”
He added: “The majority of planning applications have been passed.”
Chair of the Committee, Wakefield Councillor Charlie Keith, said: “This is going to happen whether we like it or not.”
He pointed out an application for a site in Wakefield was refused by the Council, but the applicant appealed that decision, and it was approved by a Government planning inspector.
Mr Teggart said there was currently no legislation that required fire services to be consulted on BESS plans, although in West Yorkshire the service had made representations on most applications.
Liversedge Councillor David Hall said: “It seems like we’re behind the curve.”
Referring to why there were multiple applications for BESS sites in some areas, Mr Teggart said: “They have to be in an area where it is easy to connect to the National Grid.
“Wilsden is near the sub station, so any storage site there will have easy access to the grid. We’ve had about six applications in Wilsden within a few hundred metres of the sub station.”
Cllr Keith said that despite the concerns, the BESSs were a “reasonably safe way of keeping the lights on” but said more needed to be done to ensure representations from Councillors, residents and the fire service were heard.