What are the safety requirements related to batteries & Battery rooms?

Employers must consider exposure to these hazards when developing safe work practices and selecting personal protective equipment (PPE). That is where Article 320, Safety Requirements Related to Batteries and Battery Rooms comes in.

What is the battery energy storage system guidebook?

NYSERDA published the Battery Energy Storage System Guidebook, most-recently updated in December 2020, which contains information and step-by-step instructions to support local governments in New York in managing the development of residential, commercial, and utility-scale BESS in their communities.

What are the energy storage operational safety guidelines?

In addition to NYSERDA’s BESS Guidebook, ESA issued the U.S. Energy Storage Operational Safety Guidelines in December 2019 to provide the BESS industry with a guide to current codes and standards applicable to BESS and provide additional guidelines to plan for and mitigate potential operational hazards.

Are battery storage systems dangerous?

There has been a fair amount of news about battery storage systems being involved in fire and explosion incidents around the world. Do not forget that these are not the only safety issues when dealing with batteries. Battery systems pose unique electrical safety hazards.

Do CPCN applicants need to submit plans for battery storage?

For the purposes of CPCN review and approval, we recommend that future CPCN applicants with battery storage systems be required to submit plans for battery siting, safety, and decommissioning to the PSC, for review and approval, before construction begins.

Are battery safety standards adequate?

However, the DNV GL report concluded that the most commonly relied-upon standards for battery safety are insufficient to address the threat of thermal runaway (described herein) and explosion. The report recommends additional steps that should be taken, and these are included in the summary below.