Standards in the field of energy storage
This guide is an energy storage systems compliance primer. It maps the core frameworks you must know—UL 9540, UL 1973, IEC 62619, NFPA 855, NEC Article 706, CE marking, and more—and shows why treating standards as design inputs accelerates fundraising, deployment, and customer trust. The article also gives several examples of industry efforts to update or create new standards to remove gaps in energy storage C&S and to accommodate new and emerging energy storage technologies. Electrochemical energy storage has a reputation for concerns regarding the ventilation of hazardous gases, poor reliability, short product ttery technologies, the traditional lead-acid technology has deve oped a. . As renewable energy adoption grows, energy storage systems (ESS) have become critical for balancing supply and demand, improving reliability, and supporting grid resilience. [PDF Version]FAQS about Standards in the field of energy storage
Are energy storage codes & standards needed?
Discussions with industry professionals indicate a significant need for standards ” [1, p. 30]. Under this strategic driver, a portion of DOE-funded energy storage research and development (R&D) is directed to actively work with industry to fill energy storage Codes & Standards (C&S) gaps.
Does industry need energy storage standards?
As cited in the DOE OE ES Program Plan, “Industry requires specifications of standards for characterizing the performance of energy storage under grid conditions and for modeling behavior. Discussions with industry professionals indicate a significant need for standards ” [1, p. 30].
What safety standards affect the design and installation of ESS?
As shown in Fig. 3, many safety C&S affect the design and installation of ESS. One of the key product standards that covers the full system is the UL9540 Standard for Safety: Energy Storage Systems and Equipment . Here, we discuss this standard in detail; some of the remaining challenges are discussed in the next section.
Does energy storage need C&S?
Energy storage has made massive gains in adoption in the United States and globally, exceeding a gigawatt of battery-based ESSs added over the last decade. While a lack of C&S for energy storage remains a barrier to even higher adoption, advances have been made and efforts continue to fill remaining gaps in codes and standards.
Are there restrictions on energy storage technologies?
ndards, there are significant restrictions on some Energy Storage technologies. Any technology not explicitly listed in the relevant tables (Table 9.4.1 in NFPA 855-2023, and Table 1207.5 in IFC 2021), and even some of those listed but not specified as having an unlimited allowable
Is energy storage a future power grid?
For the past decade, industry, utilities, regulators, and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have viewed energy storage as an important element of future power grids, and that as technology matures and costs decline, adoption will increase.