Slides and Recording of Safety of Grid Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems

The slides and recording from this workshop are available by registering through the link below. Once you have registered we will send you a link to our Moodle system where you can view and download the slides and recording.

Battery energy storage systems will play a critical role in helping Ireland to achieve its decarbonisation goals and we are already seeing a large number of battery storage projects developing on the Irish system and due to come online in the coming years. As this is a relatively new technology, there have been some questions raised by local communities, planning authorities and public officials in relation to the characteristics of this technology and the health and safety of battery energy storage systems. 

Energy Storage Ireland (ESI) is a representative body for the energy storage industry in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Our aims are to promote the benefits of energy storage in decarbonising Ireland’s energy system and to engage with policy makers to support and facilitate the development of energy storage on the island.

ESI has over 30 members from across the energy storage industry representing a wide array of Irish and international expertise in developing energy storage, innovating new solutions and integrating renewable energy. Many of our members are developing energy storage projects so it is critical for industry and other stakeholders to be prepared for these energy storage systems and to have the skills to develop them safely in the coming years.

This course will cover the characteristics of grid scale battery energy storage systems and how safety is incorporated into their design, manufacture and operation. 

The course will cover the following:

• A summary of the global battery energy storage industry with a focus on lithium-ion battery systems and their potential growth in the coming years
• A high-level summary of the use cases and benefits of battery energy storage systems in the Irish context including subjects such as DS3 System Services, Capacity and Energy Markets and storage as a network asset.
• A brief analysis of the projected development of the energy storage market in Ireland. We will analyse the pipeline of storage projects due to come online in the coming years.
• Overview of lithium-ion battery technology and its use cases including a breakdown of different lithium based battery technologies
• Overview of the safety risks for battery storage systems, how these might occur and how they can be mitigated against via measures such as safety and quality testing, appropriate design and manufacture, battery storage management systems and prevention mechanisms
• Information on the design standards and regulations for lithium ion battery and storage system safety
• Review and provide information sources/templates from existing literature for developers to engage with first responders and fire services in the development of projects to ensure proper procedures in the event of an incident occurring.

This course is intended primarily for use by battery storage project developers but will also be of interest to policymakers, planning authorities, first responders and local communities.

• Overview of the battery storage industry, use cases and benefits to the Irish system
• An overview of the safety risks for battery storage systems, how these might occur and how they can be mitigated against
• Information on the design standards and regulations for lithium ion batteries and storage system safety
• General information on how battery energy storage systems are designed, monitored and operated to prevent incidents such as fires occurring.
• Provide information sources/templates for developers to engage with first responders, fire services in the development of projects to ensure proper procedures in the event of an incident occurring.
• Q&A

Bobby Smith is a senior policy advisor in IWEA with oversight of electricity grids, energy storage policy and management of Energy Storage Ireland.

Previous roles include two years-experience as an analyst in the electricity networks team of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Work areas involved electricity networks policy and regulation of ESB & EirGrid, DS3 System Services policy and electricity security of supply. Other roles include two years experience as a project officer in Donegal County Council coordinating local government and EU funded programmes involving community participation in local government policy decision making.

Areas of expertise include electricity networks, renewable energy integration, grid flexibility and energy storage.