Letters to the Editor: May 1, 2025

Problems for the Bess Task Force 

We now have a newly formed BESS Task Force, assembled for the purpose of evaluating the safety risks of proposed lithium-ion battery systems, apparently concentrating on thermal runaway. One issue that should be addressed by the Task Force is the effect of the discharge efficiency of the battery, which may lead to significant heating in the battery systems. One example is the system proposed by New Leaf Energy, which will provide 8.75 MW of power for 4 hours. Based on experience, a typical lithium-ion battery discharge efficiency is 10-15%. To be conservative, let us assume a discharge efficiency of 15%. Thus, if 8.75 MW is delivered to the external loads (or homes) for 4 hours, the internal power dissipated in the BESS is 1.54 MW. The BESS must have a cooling system capable of removing the heat generated by this power, to prevent the internal temperatures of the BESS cells from reaching temperatures capable of causing thermal runaway.

Although the occurrence of thermal runaway is clearly a cause for concern, it appears that the attention of the BESS Task Force will address only peaker applications, which will remain powered primarily by “fossil fuel” plants. But problems that are much more serious, and much more complex, will be encountered when we attempt to achieve an emissions-free economy, possibly by 2050. If we attempt to accomplish this by utilizing only solar arrays and windmills as our source of power, we will inevitably face the possibility of blackouts, subject to the available activity levels of the sun and wind. By drastic increases in the size and complexity of our solar arrays, windmills and BESS installations, the probability of a blackout can be decreased, but not eliminated entirely. Once the BESS Peaker Task Force has completed their analysis and issued their report, perhaps they can redirect their attention to this problem.  

George Altemose 

Setauket

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