The National Fire Chiefs Council have published their new Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Position Statement calling for clear UK standards on safe deployment of BESS, including BESS in the Environmental Permitting Regulations, ensuring Fire and Rescue Services concerns are taken account of and investing in research into best practice firefighting for BESS.
UPDATE
New guidance for fire and rescue services on Battery Energy Storage Systems was approved for publication in December 2025. It replaces guidance that was first published in 2023.
This is a vital intervention in the discussion about the responsible implementation of Battery Energy Storage Systems. We called for nationally mandataed safety guidance for BESS in our Battery Storage Report, published 4 December, and called for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to be a statutory consultee for all BESS applications.
The NFCC Position Statement calls on the UK Government and Devolved Administrations to minimise BESS fire safety risks by:
- Creating an overarching framework and UK standard for the safe deployment and operation of BESS. This should be supported by technical standards and include clear guidance on the design and suitable locations for BESS, taking into account potential impacts of BESS on Critical National Infrastructure, any sensitive environmental receptors, local communities, and the need to ensure effective Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) pre planning and operational response in the event of a fire.
- Including BESS in the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 at the earliest opportunity and ensuring that equivalent regulations are established for Scotland[3] and Northern Ireland[4].
- Ensuring that FRS concerns and advice are taken into account and responded to when they are engaged about fire safety risks in BESS planning applications.
- Investing in a programme of continuous research on best practice firefighting tactics for fire incidents involving BESS to inform FRS training and operational guidance.