100GREEN Talks Vitalii Nikolaienko: How Safe Are Modern Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)?

The number of utility-scale battery energy storage systems continues to grow — yet the frequency of incidents is declining sharply.

Global 100 RE Ukraine has published an article highlighting new data on the safety of large-scale battery energy storage systems in the United States. According to EPRI estimates, between 2016 and 2025, the incident rate at utility-scale battery storage facilities fell by more than 97%, while installed storage capacity increased approximately 250-fold over the same period.

In the latest episode of 100GREEN Talks, Vitalii Nikolaienko, CEO of Voltage Group, discusses how safe modern BESS technologies are and what determines the reliability of these facilities in practice.

Technological advances, updated safety standards, advanced monitoring systems, and proper site layouts are gradually transforming the risk profile of battery energy storage systems. At the same time, even the most advanced equipment requires professional engineering design, proper system integration, and strict compliance with safety requirements at every stage of project implementation.

The US experience highlights an important trend: scaling up BESS deployment does not necessarily lead to an increase in incidents. On the contrary, as the market expands, the technology continues to mature, while accumulated operational experience enables more effective risk management.

For Ukraine, where energy storage systems are becoming a key component of the country’s emerging energy architecture, safety considerations must keep pace with market development. How safe are modern utility-scale battery systems, and what should be considered when implementing BESS projects? Watch the latest episode of 100GREEN Talks to find out.