An storage system is a system encompasses everything from battery technology itself to energy conversion and management systems, as well as auxiliary systems like intelligent cloud monitoring, fire protection and heat dissipation. Each part has its own unique design requirements and operational characteristics, and these components are interrelated and influence each other. Any part of problem can affect the performance and safety of the entire  storage system.

The causes of safety incidents such as fires in energy storage plant often involve multiple factors, with the following seven main reasons:

Battery Issues

This is one of the primary causes of accidents in energy storage plant. Batteries may experience thermal runaway in the case of overcharging, over-discharging, internal short circuits and high temperatures, releasing large amounts of heat and flammable gases, which can lead to fires or even explosions.

For example, internal short circuits in batteries can be caused by membrane damage, aging cells, excessive temperature during use, production quality issues or other external factors like transportation vibrations, collisions or punctures. Quality problems or poor consistency of the cells themselves may also increase the risk.

Thermal Runaway Management Deficiencies

The system will generate heat during operation,and if the thermal runaway management system of the energy storage plant cannot accurately monitor and control the battery's state such as voltage, current and temperature, it cannot timely detect and deal with potential issues,and will not be able to quickly and effectively control the phenomenon of thermal runaway of the battery, thereby increasing the risk of accidents.

Inadequate Safety Design

This includes unreasonable power station layouts, such as building stacked layouts that concentrate a large number of batteries in enclosed spaces, along with a lack of effective fire separation, fire protection facilities and emergency response plans. Once a fire occurs, it is difficult to control fire quickly. Storage systems carry a certain degree of fire risk and should be equipped with appropriate fire-fighting equipment and ensure that the installation area complies with fire protection requirements.

Faulty Electronic Components and Wiring

Storage systems commonly use various electronic components and wiring, such as battery management chips, power semiconductor devices, inductors, sensors, DC buses, AC lines and control circuits. The use of low-quality electronic components and wiring may fail to accurately monitor and control critical battery parameters, affecting the quality of the system's power supply, possibly damaging connected electrical equipment, providing inaccurate monitoring data that can mislead the system’s control strategies and preventing the system from operating within normal ranges. This can severely impact the reliability of the storage system and pose potential safety risks.

Improper Installation and Maintenance

Unprofessional staff, non-standard operations, unfamiliarity with equipment, or failure to perform maintenance in accordance with the regulations that can create safety hazards. For example, irregular installation of batteries, incorrect wiring, and untimely maintenance can all lead to safety risks. It is recommended that after the installation of storage systems is completed, comprehensive system debugging and testing should be conducted to check the functions are normal.

Abuse and Aging

Frequent charge and discharge cycles can accelerate the aging of storage systems. Improper charge and discharge methods, such as deep discharges and rapid charging, can increase internal pressure and loss of the battery. Over time, the chemicals in the battery's internal undergo irreversible changes, and the structure and performance of the electrode materials gradually deteriorate, leading to a decrease in battery capacity and increased internal resistance, thereby increasing system instability and safety risks. Aging batteries require close monitoring and timely replacement or maintenance to ensure the safe operation of the storage system.

Environmental Factors

Extreme temperatures, humidity and other environmental conditions can affect battery performance and stability, increasing the risk of fire. Natural disasters such as lightning strikes, floods, and earthquakes can damage the equipment of the energy storage plant and lead to accidents. Storage systems should be installed in dry, well-ventilated locations with suitable temperatures and free of flammable or explosive corrosive gases.

For example, the cause of the fire at the Gateway energy storage plant in California, USA, was considered to a combination of factors including "ternary lithium batteries + stacked power stations + enclosed spaces + failure of early warnings."The safety design and thermal runaway management of the energy storage plant was flawed, with a large number of batteries concentrated in enclosed spaces. After the fire extinguishing agents was exhausted ,the only options were to add water internally or spray from outside. However, the entire monitoring system failed, making the internal environment completely invisible and uncontrollable, which leads to the entire system reigniting or even spread for a longer period of time. Additionally, the operation and maintenance methods of the energy storage plant were relatively single and lacked high levels of intelligence, the security early warning is not done well.

Summary

In order to reduce the occurrence of fires in energy storage plants, it is necessary to take measures in many aspects such as battery quality testing, management system optimization, safety design, monitoring and early warning systems, and operation and maintenance management, this includes establishing a lithium battery life-cycle management system, optimization of the safety design of the energy storage plant, strengthening online monitoring and testing of the battery data, improving the safety standards system for energy storage plant, and enhancing the safety awareness and skills of personnel. At the same time, strict operational procedures and emergency plans should be developed to promptly identify and address abnormal battery conditions.

When purchasing and installing an energy storage plant, it is crucial to choose a reliable, professional, and capable energy storage system integrator, rather than being swayed by price alone.