02.12.2025
The energy of the future, which Ukraine is building in real-time while recovering from attacks by Russian missiles and UAVs, has several key elements. One of these is Energy Storage Systems (ESS). They can be called the heart of the new energy architecture, and this heart needs protection. Denys Liubchenko, Director of Spetszashchyst LLC (EPPC SPETSZASHCHITA LLC), emphasizes this in a column for Mind, explaining that these ESS systems have become not only a point of greatest vulnerability but also a zone of greatest responsibility.
Source: mind.ua
Since October 2022, the Ukrainian energy system has been under constant shelling and unceasing pressure. It does not matter whether the enemy focused on gas energy infrastructure this year or continues to destroy electricity generation and transportation systems—it is still about explosions and the fires they cause.
These fires are actually very insidious, something average consumers rarely think about while complaining, “why is it taking so long” and “what is there to extinguish?” The issue is that after an explosion, flames enter cable shafts where combustion temperatures can persist for hours, and which are quite difficult to access. Therefore, fighting the consequences of shelling can take a long time and requires more than just access to water.
The only currently existing solution for preserving the stability of energy systems (and the country’s sole energy grid as well) is the development of generating capacities—with a mandatory emphasis on operational continuity. This is provided, first and foremost, by Energy Storage Systems (ESS). For Ukraine, energy accumulation is becoming a factor of sustainability and survival, guaranteeing energy independence, stability, and profitability for businesses and Ukrainians. However, these storage systems require their own separate protection—primarily from fire.
The era of energy storage systems is arriving in Ukraine at a rapid pace. Multi-hour power outages, government requirements for data transmission stability, and the need to provide services and keep businesses “afloat” all require the installation of battery systems. These allow for the creation of energy reserves, network balancing, and the integration of renewable energy sources into one’s own energy mix.
According to estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the analytical agency BloombergNEF, in 2025 the volume of purchased and installed energy storage systems in the world will double relative to 2024, and total battery capacity will far exceed one gigawatt-hour.
All of the above is a guarantee of stability. However, only under one condition: safety. ESS is the most important, yet also the riskiest element of the new energy architecture. Their foundation—lithium-ion systems—is an extraordinary technology that “gives light,” but on the other hand, it does not forgive mistakes. A fire in these systems is a chemical process involving thermal runaway, the extinguishing of which requires specially prepared solutions. Ordinary fire extinguishing methods are often ineffective for the seat of the fire, and water is mainly used for intensive cooling and preventing the fire from spreading to neighboring modules.
Class D fire extinguishers, dry sand, or fire blankets can be used to localize small seats of fire. However, industrial ESS require integrated fire detection and suppression systems, as well as well-thought-out passive fire protection.
In any case, a fire in an energy storage system is a complex process that causes the temperature inside the module to rise to a thousand degrees, potentially leading to a loss of process control and transforming a technical solution into a source of risk.
The listed fire extinguishing means are effective, but only in the situation described above—during a fire that already exists and is spreading. In energy storage systems, critical damage arises not so much from the ignition itself as from uncontrolled thermal load.
A proactive option for ensuring ESS safety is passive fire protection, which significantly increases reliability and safety. It determines whether the fire will be localized in only one module or spread to others, increasing losses. Thanks to this, the protection and further functioning of cable routes can be ensured. Ultimately, it is passive protection that decides whether the firefighting team will have minutes to cope with the situation, or if everything will end in disaster in a matter of seconds.
Ukraine already features technologies that meet European standards and are certified according to EU norms (EN, ETA, etc.). These have been used for years in Germany (at nuclear power plants), in Austria (in the construction of famous Alpine tunnels), and in Switzerland (in transport hubs). These solutions, such as PYRO-SAFE from the developer SVT, allow for a significant increase in the level of ESS safety, ensuring their ability to withstand critical loads.
Also, autonomous fire extinguishing systems like BlazeCut are installed everywhere in Europe. They act in system elements that are difficult for humans to reach—especially humans in special suits protected from fire and heat and carrying equipment. We are talking about control cabinets and isolated technical segments where the action of temperature is rapid and catastrophic in its consequences.
These technologies create barriers to the spread of fire, localizing the problem, giving time for its solution, and ultimately saving equipment. Their use in energy storage systems allows limiting the damage caused to a single block, rather than saying goodbye to the entire ESS container.
In 2023, at least 12 major incidents involving ESS were recorded in the USA. The consequences included station shutdowns for 60-90 days, failure to provide services, and multi-million dollar losses. The causes ranged from technical defects and design errors to the absence or improper integration of passive fire protection solutions.
The modernization and optimization of Ukraine’s energy system, and its reconstruction on the “build back better” principle, is discussed at most platforms—from the professional local Energy Club forum, where I had the honor to speak, to the recent ReBuild Ukraine conference in Warsaw. Of course, this requires significant—even outstanding—investments.
Such funds are available from international financial institutions that are ready to invest but put forward their own requirements and naturally protect their investments. To this end, standards exist in different regions of the world that will have to be met. In European countries, high-quality and appropriate fire protection of a facility is a basic condition for project consideration. In the USA, ESS projects usually must meet the requirements of the NFPA 855 standard, which is increasingly integrated into local building and fire codes.
Energy storage systems are a key element of the modern energy system. Passive ESS protection is a mandatory component of any project. Every engineer understands that prevention and protection of critical nodes is a task that always requires a comprehensive approach.
As with any technical complex, it is important to be confident that the system will work even after the first incident—an explosion, fire, or attempted attack. This is what determines its level of resilience.
This responsibility is shared among engineers, integrators, companies, and the state. And it is on this distribution that it depends whether Ukrainian energy will become truly resilient, and not just declared so.
