Energy storage will increasingly play a role in the transition to cleaner and greener energy systems in the coming years. It is therefore important that batteries and other energy storage systems operate safely. Worldwide, the number of incidents involving these storage systems is increasing, including in the Netherlands, such as the bicycle battery fire, at Stella. Because safe energy storage systems are essential, the Twente Safety Campus (TSC) and Det Norske Veritas (DNV) have joined forces. The cooperation is taking shape through the establishment of a Battery Safety Lab. There, batteries and battery storage systems will be tested for (fire) safety. The activities should lead to improving safety in energy storage systems, thus promoting energy transition. 

Combination of knowledge and expertise

‘This cooperation combines our knowledge of (fire) safety with DNV's knowledge and global experience in safety and the certification and testing of battery technology,’ responds David Bornebroek, director of the Twente Safety Campus. ‘We see batteries being used more and more in consumer electronics, vehicles and community batteries. That has to be done safely. And our emergency workers need to be able to act safely in incidents involving batteries. Because there are still insufficient standards and general knowledge about battery fire safety is still limited, a test facility is essential to conduct research. Because we will now do this together with DNV, we make a concrete contribution to solving safety issues around batteries. In doing so, we contribute to the safety of our residents and our emergency workers. Not only in Twente, but far beyond. The cooperation also fits perfectly with Twente's ambition as an innovative region’. 

‘Safe battery systems are essential for a successful transition to a cleaner, low-carbon energy supply and for meeting global emission targets. Discussions with our customers have shown that there is a lot of uncertainty in the industry. The new Battery Safety Lab combines our technological knowledge and track record in testing and certification with the first-hand fire safety expertise of the Twente Safety Campus. In this unique collaboration, we gather the necessary data and information to validate potential commercial solutions. Together with our existing facilities for testing energy storage components, the Battery Safety Lab will play a key role in minimising risk and enabling safe market access for energy storage systems,‘’ said Prajeev Rasiah, Executive Vice President & Regional Manager Northern Europe of DNV's Energy Systems business area.

Type of testing

The Battery Safety Lab will be a dedicated testing facility where the safety of batteries and energy storage systems and their application in the marine, grid-connected and automotive sectors will be tested. Besides validation and certification of battery systems entering the market, fire propagation tests will also be carried out. Here, we gather information on how and why battery systems fail and ignite. You have to think of tests in which batteries are, for example, deliberately set on fire or dropped from a great height. These are extensive tests for integrated battery systems in daily practical use. The test experiences and results will contribute to the development of new standards to improve the safety of battery storage systems. At the same time, it will help emergency services develop new, improved protocols for dealing with fires and other incidents caused by battery system failures. The lab is expected to be operational during 2022.

Cooperation with project Accumulate and MEET

The Twente Safety Campus cooperates within an ERDF grant trajectory ((Project Accumulate (project-accumulate.nl)) with partners such as the University of Twente and market parties. In Project Accumulate, various partners join forces to promote the safe application of battery technology. Also in the MEET (MEET - Homepage MEET (uni-muenster.de)) institute, a huge impetus is being given to battery safety. Here, too, there is a direct relationship with the University of Twente. The development of the Battery Safety Lab fits in seamlessly with these developments.