Abstract
<jats:p>This report evaluates the fire, explosion, and environmental hazards associated with stationary, utility-scale, and industrial Lithium-ion (li-ion) Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Driven by research gaps identified by the SFPE Foundation, this study establishes a comparative framework between li-ion BESS risks and conventional industrial or manufacturing hazards. While li-ion BESS hazards such as thermal runaway, toxic gas emission, and deflagration are well-documented, they present unique challenges because the battery simultaneously acts as both the ignition source and the fuel supply. Due to current limitations in prescriptive siting guidelines and a lack of large-scale testing data for current large-format cells, this report proposes a standardized, risk-based evaluation framework utilizing the SFPE Engineering Guide for Fire Risk Assessment. This framework advocates for performance-based mitigation strategies that focus on exposure protection and limiting worst-case scenarios, rather than trying to halt thermal runaway directly. Additionally, the report evaluates the limitations of current hazard scaling methodologies, maps key assumptions via detailed flowcharts, and provides a comparative case study against historic industrial incidents. The findings indicate that while li-ion BESS risks do not inherently exceed those of traditional industrial facilities, data disparities persist. Ultimately, this research demonstrates that BESS risks can be effectively managed through science-based evaluation, sound engineering practices, and data-driven solutions.</jats:p>