In this article, Luis Valverde, a consultant specializing in battery energy storage systems (BESS) for the LATAM region at Enertis Applus+, offers a strategic perspective on the challenges and opportunities accompanying the rapid deployment of energy storage in Latin America, highlighting the need to build a strong safety culture as the foundation for sustainable sector growth.
The rapid deployment of BESS systems in Latin America—led by Chile and followed closely by countries such as Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, which together are advancing toward a combined capacity exceeding 20 GW—has consolidated the role of storage as a pillar of the region’s energy transition. However, this growth must rest on a non-negotiable principle: the safety of BESS projects.
This article emphasizes that the inherent risks of lithium-ion technologies, such as thermal runaway, demand a preventive culture that spans from system design through long-term operation. The integration of gas sensors, thermographic cameras, and advanced battery management systems (BMS), complemented by artificial intelligence algorithms, enables early detection of abnormal conditions and supports predictive operational models.
Likewise, rigorous maintenance and operational practices—aligned with international standards such as NFPA 855, IEC 62933, and UL9540A testing—strengthen both the reliability and the financial appeal of BESS projects.
The article highlights the effectiveness of a layered-safety approach, which has enabled a 97% reduction in the global incident rate of BESS systems between 2018 and 2023.
Nevertheless, regulatory challenges persist due to the region’s heterogeneous frameworks. The adoption of international standards thus emerges as the most robust pathway to ensuring safety and long-term sustainability. Overall, the article underscores that only a shared safety culture will allow energy storage to drive a renewable transition that is truly safe and technically mature in Latin America.
Read the full article (in Spanish): Seguridad en los proyectos BESS: el pilar silencioso de la transición energética en América Latina – pv magazine Latin America
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