Technology group Wärtsilä announces significant advancements in fire safety and acoustic noise reduction for its energy storage systems (ESS), which will enable its customers to stay ahead of regulatory changes while minimising the environmental impact of their projects. These developments, including rigorous large-scale testing and enhanced noise mitigation technologies, further position Wärtsilä as a leader in safe and community-conscious energy solutions.
Wärtsilä has recently completed its third and fourth rounds of large-scale fire testing following the 2023 testing done for the Quantum energy storage system, surpassing the mandated UL 9540A testing standards for its newer generation Quantum High Energy and Quantum2 energy storage systems. Conducted in partnership with CSA Group at their lab, these tests involved purposeful ignition of the enclosure until the fire was self-sustaining. Both the Quantum High Energy and Quantum2 enclosures fully consumed all available fuel. Data from the test show no risk of propagation from the initiating unit to adjacent units with all modules remaining below cell venting temperatures.
This approach is designed to simulate a worst-case scenario and exceeds current industry standards. Wärtsilä is one of the only battery energy storage companies globally to perform such extensive fire safety evaluations. Wärtsilä also hosted key stakeholders to witness the tests, including regulated utility representatives, fire protection consultants, and insurance and owners’ engineers.
The fire testing also conforms to the forthcoming CSA TS-800 standard, which will set new benchmarks for the safety of energy storage systems.