27 Nov Fire professionals aren’t prepared for BESS advancements, say experts

As African nations accelerate renewable-energy programmes and work toward net-zero and energy-access goals, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are being deployed at an unprecedented rate across the continent, from South Africa and Kenya to Morocco, Ghana and Rwanda.

However, fire and emergency services are raising alarms about the significant gaps in preparedness that this rapid expansion creates. Recent incidents across several African countries have highlighted the challenges posed by lithium-ion storage facilities, with firefighters stressing that thermal runaway—the chain reaction that occurs when a battery cell overheats—is the most serious risk.

Once initiated, thermal runaway can quickly cascade through a battery module, triggering intense fires that may reignite long after initial suppression efforts appear successful.

Crews responding to such incidents report that traditional fire-suppression methods often fall short. In certain cases, using water can generate hydrogen gas, increasing the likelihood of an explosion—particularly in confined or poorly ventilated facilities.

In South Africa, for example, several utility-scale solar-plus-storage sites have reported overheating events and localised battery failures, drawing attention to the emergency-response challenges posed by BESS technology. Similar concerns have been raised by authorities in Kenya and Nigeria following incidents at commercial and telecom backup battery installations.

Safety officers across the continent are becoming increasingly concerned as these situations grow more common while countries roll out grid-scale batteries to stabilise national grids, integrate renewables, and improve energy access.

Toxic emissions add another layer of concern as fires at BESS sites can release hydrogen fluoride and other hazardous gases, which pose significant respiratory risks—especially in densely populated urban areas such as Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi or Cairo.

While awareness of hydrogen fluoride hazards is growing among fire services in Africa, specialised detection and monitoring equipment is still not widely available for frontline responders in many regions.

Another operational challenge is the limited availability of real-time data.

Firefighters often arrive at BESS incidents without access to battery charge information, internal temperature readings, or system schematics. Several emergency-response teams in East and West Africa have reported responding to battery-related incidents without complete site documentation.

Although major metropolitan fire brigades are working to update procedures and improve readiness, many smaller or rural stations—where new mini-grid and microgrid storage installations are appearing rapidly—have not yet received comprehensive BESS-specific training.

Despite these issues, officials across Africa emphasise that BESS technology is essential for strengthening energy security, enabling renewable-energy integration, and expanding electricity access.

However, many insist that protecting first responders must be as much of a priority as achieving decarbonisation and electrification goals. With BESS deployments increasing worldwide and across Africa, fire and emergency services agree the technology is part of the solution—but safety must advance at the same pace.