Our position

(see full document attached below)

This AFAC guideline applies to industrial, commercial, neighbourhood and community BESS installations with a capacity of 200 kWh or greater within a building or 200 kWh to 2 MWh housed within external enclosures adjacent to the building. For external facilities greater that 2MWh, the Guideline for Large-scale battery energy storage systems installations applies.

Where a BESS may be installed within a building, they are considered to pose additional hazards for firefighters due to their elevated risk profile. 

BESS installed within purpose-built cabinets or containers of any size for housing the BESS outside a building is deemed to be within external enclosures and not considered a building.

BESS may be installed in association with augmented grid power supply infrastructure, such as solar facilities, wind facilities and at substations, but increasingly are being installed in rural areas, commercial buildings, small towns and in proximity to the urban environment.