Nec energy storage explosion

What happened at the Carnegie road energy storage site?

In the early morning hours of September 15, 2020, an explosion occurred at the Carnegie Road energy storage site, followed by a fire that consumed one of three energy storage enclosures. The owner (Ørsted) and the supplier/maintenance provider (NEC) immediately began an investigation of the incident.

Why are explosion hazards a concern for ESS batteries?

For grid-scale and residential applications of ESS, explosion hazards are a significant concern due to the propensity of lithium-ion batteries to undergo thermal runaway, which causes a release of flammable gases composed of hydrogen, hydrocarbons (e.g. methane, ethylene, etc.), carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.

What causes a battery enclosure to explode?

Battery enclosure explosions are typically caused by the deflagration of accumulated flammable gases generated during cell thermal runaways within one or more modules. Smaller explosions can also be due to energetic arc flashes within modules or rack electrical protection enclosures.

Why is a delayed explosion battery ESS incident important?

One delayed explosion battery ESS incident is particularly noteworthy because the severe firefighter injuries and unusual circumstances in this incident were widely reported (Renewable Energy World, 2019).

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 can we learn from the Carnegie road energy storage system failure?

This report conveys the lessons learned from the Carnegie Road energy storage system (ESS) failure event, including aspects of emergency response, root cause investigation, and the redesign and rebuild process.