The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) is working to create standards for the safe installation of battery storage projects throughout New York.
The FDNY, in collaboration with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), insurance companies and Consolidated Edison, is hoping to make the battery storage market safer for New York.
According to utilitydive.com, the city saw its first behind-the-meter installation last May: a 300 kW, 1.2 MWh lithium-ion battery project in Brooklyn. But that project is sited outside, where fire safety concerns are muted.
Standards in the Making
The NFPA recently completed a draft version of NFPA 855, the “Standard for the Installation of Stationary Energy Storage Systems.” The final version scheduled for release in 2020.
As for private sector companies with battery storage safety standards, UL published the world’s first safety standard for stationary energy storage in 2014. As Utilitydive.com reports, the standards, known as UL 9540, is the underlying standard behind much of the work being done by other organizations, such as NFPA, to draw up specific codes for fire safety or for deploying energy storage standards for the construction industry.
Thermal runaway is one of the chief concerns among safety experts and first responders. It can occur when a fire in a battery system cascades out of control.
Mark your calendars: The 3rd Annual Environmental Leader & Energy Manager Conference takes place May 15 – 17, 2018 in Denver. Learn more here.