Funding for Emergency Services

In many rural communities, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is operated by volunteers.  Fires or other problems associated with BESS, Solar Farms and Wind Turbines require specialist skills, training and equipment.

Currently the SFRS is not even a statutory consultee for planning applications and probably not even considered at all by the Energy Consents Unit. Most renewable developments, particularly BESS and Solar farms are monitored remotely and rely on the police and other emergency services to respond to incidents, some of which can be in very rural and remote areas.

Renewable energy developers need to recognise their business relies on scarce local emergency services and therefore the least they can do as part of a mandatory requirement is ensure local emergency services equipped and trained to meet the needs of the ever growing list of renewable energy solutions.

Lithium battery fires are becoming a common occurrence.  There have been at least 9 major and protracted fires as a result of lithium batteries.  Most BESS are located within woodland areas, with no easily accessible source of water for a fire appliances.  Last year saw one of the hottest years on record and in Scotland major fires burned for weeks if not months.  The very accrid smoke and fallout from battery fires contaminates surrounding land and watercourses and must be handled with great care to protect local people, businesses, farms, crops and farm animals, wildlife, woodlands and forest.  Smoke can bellow for days on end across major trunk roads and other roads causing all types of road hazards.  The three emergency services must act together to contain the situation and protect the public.

Not only was it the hottest year but it was one of the driest years with certain parts of Scotland declaring water shortages.  Developers must ensure that emergency services have all the tools, including water, to ensure public safety.