New York launches taskforce to investigate energy storage fire risks after solar farm fire. Rotterdam puts moratorium on new facilities.
A fire at a Convergent solar farm, Jefferson County, New York State, involving a General Electric battery storage system caused residents in a mile radius to be told to confine and continued to burn for hours. Following this and two other battery storage fires, the State Governor has launched a task force to investigate energy storage facilities fire safety.
Rotterdam city, The Netherlands, has prohibited construction of battery storage or wind energy systeError! Hyperlink reference not valid.ms for six months, to give time to define codes. A member of the Energy Advisory Committee raised concerns about “the potential for large fires at battery energy storage facilities that burn for hours” and concerns that local fire departments are not equipped to handle such incidents. This follows a similar moratorium on solar farms.
Recharge News 31 July 2023 https://www.rechargenews.com/energy-transition/after-three-fires-and-a-solar-plant-toxic-fumes-scare-new-york-launches-safety-probe-into-battery-energy-storage/2-1-1493418
Wind Watch News 24 September 2023 (from Daily Gazette) https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2023/09/24/rotterdam-approves-moratoriums-on-wind-battery-storage-systems/