Solar+Battery Storage Fire Safety Part 1: Residential and Commercial Solar+Storage

As the solar PV and battery storage industry in the United States grows rapidly, public interest in safety considerations for these technologies grows with it. Battery system failures are rare, but when they do occur, they often garner media attention, increasing concerns from the general public.

Firefighters need to be uniquely prepared when a battery fire does occur. Battery fires differ from other fire emergencies; lithium-ion fires are fueled by internal chemical reactions and a process called thermal runaway can occur, in which a battery overheats and causes a chain reaction of internal explosions. Unfortunately, battery storage safety training opportunities are limited. As the battery storage industry continues to grow, it’s vital that firefighters and building managers know how to respond to battery-related emergencies.

This webinar, hosted by Clean Energy Group, addressed single family and multifamily solar+storage fire safety considerations. This is an update to CEG’s 2021 webinar on solar and battery response safety for single and multifamily residential projects. Part 2 of this webinar addresses fire safety considerations for large community solar connected to utility-grade storage as well as electric vehicle fire safety.

Guest speaker Captain Richard Birt is a 30-year veteran of the fire service. Captain Birt’s Solar and Fire Education curriculum has already trained over 1,000 firefighters in California on preparedness and response to solar and battery storage fires. Clean Energy Group Project Manager Olivia Tym moderated.