Get Closer to Battery Standardization

Source: UL Battery Standardization

Standardization is a critical element for the product quality. Apparently, it depends on the consensus of different parties that include firms, users, interest groups, standard organization, and governments. Standardization also will help maximize compatibility, interoperability, safety, repeatability, or quality of product. From energy storage perspective, battery standardization becomes a shield to avoid the user from accidents, such as battery explosion. For halting that issue, The Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and Singapore Battery Consortium (SBC) conducted webinar on May 19, 2021 about standards for energy storage system (ESS).

There are two types of battery standardization focusing on safety of energy storage system. UL Standards Affecting Energy Storage Systems and IEC Standards Impacting Energy Storage Systems. One of the example of UL Standardization is UL 9540A that addresses key fire safety concerns (BESS installation parameters, installation ventilation requirements, internal and external of fire protection, and fire service strategy and tactics). On the other side, the example of IEC Standards impacting is IEC TS 62933-5-2 related to safety consideration (e.g. hazards identification, risk assessment, risk mitigation). According to Laurie Florence, Energy & Industrial Automation UL LLC, states that UL 9540 safety standard covers safety of electrochemical, chemical, mechanical, and thermal Energy Storage System (ESS). Besides, IEC 62933-5-1 tend to the technical specification, covers general safety concepts for all technologies (TS).