Domestic development of lithium batteries for energy storage

Are domestic lithium-ion battery storage systems safe?

Several standards that will be applicable for domestic lithium-ion battery storage are currently under development or have recently been published. The first edition of IEC 62933-5-2, which has recently been published, covers the safety of domestic energy storage systems.

What is a lithium ion battery?

Battery technologies are at the heart of such large-scale energy storage systems, and lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are at the core of various available battery technologies.

What happened to lithium-ion battery storage?

The reported incidents involved fire in domestic lithium-ion battery storage, used in combination with PV installations. No-one was injured in the incidents, but the damage costs were 12,000 and 25,000 EUR respectively.

Why are lithium-ion batteries important?

Among various battery technologies, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have attracted significant interest as supporting devices in the grid because of their remarkable advantages, namely relatively high energy density (up to 200 Wh/kg), high EE (more than 95%), and long cycle life (3000 cycles at deep discharge of 80%) [11, 12, 13].

Why are lithium ion cells a hazard in a battery energy storage system?

The main critical component in a domestic battery energy storage system (BESS), and the component that is the cause for many of these hazards, is the lithium-ion cells themselves. Lithium-ion cells must be kept within the manufacturer’s specifications for the operating window regarding current, temperature and voltage.

Can lithium-ion battery storage systems be abused?

Experience with fires involving domestic lithium-ion battery storage systems is limited. The worldwide growth of EV and BESS applications demand an improved understanding of how large battery systems behave when abused.