Executive Summary
- Electricity Storage Network has published a new report aiming to provide ‘clear, evidence-based answers’ to key questions around battery energy storage system developments
- The report addresses common issues, from fire safety and emergency response planning, to environmental effects, to cybersecurity and operational resilience
- Around 2 GW of new BESS entered commercial operation in Britain during 2025 – by 2030, the government has said the country requires up to 27 GW of grid-scale battery storage
A new guide has been published for local communities and elected representatives among other stakeholders to provide ‘clear, evidence-based answers’ to key questions around battery energy storage systems (BESS) developments.
The guide, titled Battery Energy Storage Systems Explained and published by Electricity Storage Network (ESN), part of Regen, addresses common issues from fire safety and emergency response planning, to environmental effects, to cybersecurity and operational resilience.
In Britain, around 2 GW of new BESS entered commercial operation during 2025 at an estimated £1.2 billion investment according to ESN, with 108 GW of new battery storage capacity deployed worldwide, at a 40% increase on the previous year. By 2030, the UK government has said the country requires up to 27 GW of grid-scale battery storage, with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) targeting 39 GW by 2050. As the sector expands, it is increasingly important that decision makers have clear, balanced information to hand, the company notes.
The report notes that, from a safety perspective, the signs are good from the industry. Data from the Electric Power Research Institute shows that the rate of failure incidents in battery storage has fallen sharply – around 97% between 2018 and 2023. Battery storage design has also evolved significantly, with modular containers, improved detection and suppression technologies, as well as layouts which support targeted response by emergency services.
While modern battery storage uses the same lithium-ion technology found in consumer electronics, there is ‘industrial-grade safety built in at every stage of design and operation’, the ESN report notes. Fire rates at battery sites are lower (0.7%) than those for other non-domestic buildings in England (0.8%). Developers should follow National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) guidance to ensure suitable environmental protection measures are used, while the NFCC also provides guidance on battery storage fires.
Regarding cybersecurity, the report notes that battery storage sites are designed for operational resilience, and that if a threat is detected, grid compliance requirements ensure that systems either disconnect from the network, isolate themselves, or operate autonomously.
The rest of the report explores BESS site concerns from other points of view, including disruption to local traffic, noise complaints, and the surrounding landscape.
“This guide is intended to help people better understand battery storage and support informed conversations about projects,” wrote Regen project manager and report author Becky Fowell and ESN lead Olly Frankland. “By providing accessible information, it aims to support more informed conversations between MPs, communities and developers.”
