Why BESS Safety Matters & Recommended Solutions

In this webinar, the Fike team will explore the chemical reaction of thermal runaway, the various methods currently attempted for suppressing cascading thermal runaway and their effectiveness, and finally the multiple ‘layers of protection’ available for explosion control, gas detection, explosion venting, and more.

It is no secret that battery energy storage systems (BESS) are becoming a cornerstone of today’s power generation, as they are often required to capture renewable energy from wind and solar, manage peak demand on the grid, and power sustainable microgrids.

As BESS adoption surges, especially in or near populated areas, the ever present potential hazard of a lithium battery experiencing thermal runaway must be understood, and appropriate safety systems must be integrated to protect nearby people, first responders, and the environment.

The only proven method of suppressing BESS fires and cascading thermal runaway is ‘thermal management’ to control the heat of the event and slow or even stop cascading thermal runaway. While water and chemical agents are often used for these hazards, they have been proven to not be thermal management solutions; however, other options do exist such as Fike Blue, one of the only third-party tested thermal management solutions proven to stop cascading thermal runaway.

Why BESS Safety Matters & Recommended Solutions

Speakers

Mark Kendall | Director

Pierrick Mindykowski | Battery Fire Protection Engineer