Causes and hazards of energy storage station fires

What happens if an energy storage station fires?

Since a large amount of energy is stored in the energy storage station in the form of chemical energy, once this energy is released in the form of heat and fire, it will cause serious damage. For example, in 2024, three LFP battery energy storage station fire accidents occurred in Germany within three months .

What causes large-scale lithium-ion energy storage battery fires?

Several large-scale lithium-ion energy storage battery fire incidents have involved explosions. The large explosion incidents are due to the deflagration of accumulated flammable gases generated during cell thermal runaways within one or more modules. This leads to damage of battery system enclosures.

What causes fire in Bess storage systems?

There are several factors that contribute to fire in BESS storage systems. Some of them are: Battery cell design and quality: Poor battery cell design or manufacturing defects can lead to internal short circuits and thermal runaway.

Are lithium-ion battery energy storage systems a fire risk?

Lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS) have emerged as a key technology for integrating renewable energy sources and grid stability. However, the significant energy density in a confined space poses fire risks.

Are energy storage fire accidents increasing?

Similarly, as the battery energy storage industry develops, energy storage fire accidents are also increasing [16, 19]. Fig. 2 shows the installed capacity and accident data of global energy storage stations in the past decade .

How to protect battery energy storage stations from fire?

High-quality fire extinguishing agents and effective fire extinguishing strategies are the main means and necessary measures to suppress disasters in the design of battery energy storage stations . Traditional fire extinguishing methods include isolation, asphyxiation, cooling, and chemical suppression .