Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) - Part 1

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) - Safety Considerations in International Guidelines

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) play a key role in the transition to green energy, but they also pose significant safety challenges. Join us for a technical session on fire safety for BESS focusing on safety guidelines and gaps. 

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) have been increasingly integrated into new and existing energy infrastructures and building facilities, but they also introduce significant safety challenges – not least the risk of thermal runaway and explosion.

At this technical session, we are pleased to welcome Agata Gallas-Hulin and Ana Sauca both from DBI - The Danish Institute of Fire and Security, who will share insights into the fire safety for BESS. The presentation will provide an overview of international guidelines and standards relevant to BESS – with particular focus on fire and explosion hazards.

We will also discuss the regulatory developments shaping the future deployment of BESS in Europe and globally and highlight what engineers and safety professionals should consider before, during, and after commissioning such systems. Special attention will be given to the Danish guidelines developed by the Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA), 

The event will also highlight findings from two important publications:

• The EASE Best Practices Guideline on BESS Safety, which offers guidance on best practices, highlights regulatory gaps and provides recommendations for BESS safety.
• The recent DBI whitepaper on BESS systems, which provides a comparative review of regulatory approaches globally, highlights recommendations for Danish guidelines, and identifies safety-critical knowledge gaps.

Topics include explosion prevention in large-scale systems, implications of using second-life batteries, importance of risk assessment approach and the role of standardised fire tests in supporting robust design and emergency planning.

Join us to gain valuable insights into the evolving landscape of BESS safety regulation, and to understand how emerging knowledge can help shape safer and more resilient battery energy systems.