Iterative upgrading of international energy storage standards poses new challenges to energy storage fire protection enterprises

Under the background of global energy green and low-carbon transformation, the new energy storage market has ushered in a period of rapid development. The International Energy Agency predicts that the global energy storage installed capacity will reach about 270GW by 2026. For China's new energy storage industry, going abroad and overseas has become the general trend.

However, the United States imposed tariffs on China's exports of lithium batteries and North America UL 9540A and other energy storage standards iterative upgrade, the European Union has introduced the "Key Raw Materials Act" "EU Battery and Waste Battery Regulations" and other new industrial policies, resulting in the accelerated formation of new green trade barriers.

In 2024, China's enterprise energy storage product orders are mainly exported to Europe, North America, East Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia, and the United States is still the largest destination for China's energy storage exports. U.S. standards for imported energy storage products mainly include UL 1642, UL 1973, UL 9540, UL 9540A, NFPA 69, NFPA 72, NFPA 855, HMA, FRA, etc. Among them, NFPA 855 and UL 9540A are the key standards that affect the export of enterprises. The requirements of UL 9540 and UL 9540A have also been introduced in the NFPA 855 (Standard for the Installation of Stationary Energy Storage Systems). NFPA 855 is a compliance guide, UL 9540A is a testing tool, the two form a "specification requirements-test method" symbiotic relationship. The fifth edition of UL 9540A (full name is ANSI/CAN/UL 9540A-2025 "Thermal Runaway Spread Test of Battery Energy Storage System") was officially released by UL Laboratory in the United States on March 12, 2025 to complete the iterative upgrade. The new standard marks the strategic transition of energy storage safety standards from "passive fire prevention" to "active early warning. The current version of NFPA 855-2026 is also being consulted. The new regulations not only specify the minimum safe distance between the energy storage system and the building, but also put forward rigid requirements for the configuration of fire extinguishing devices, that is, energy storage facilities with power ≥ 50 kW must be equipped with automatic sprinkler fire extinguishing systems, and the fire extinguishing agent must have special performance to inhibit battery resurgence.

Under the increasingly complex situation of fire protection supervision faced by energy storage projects going to sea, in order to help customers successfully go to sea, Shengsida, based on its deep understanding of UL, NFPA, FM and other standards, has deeply understood and closely followed the frontier trend of global energy storage fire protection supervision. In the process of project promotion, from the early stage of scheme design to the late stage of implementation, all links in the whole process are strictly benchmarked against the strict laws and regulations and standards at home and abroad, ensure a seamless fit. We strictly adhere to the bottom line of compliance, relying on customized and high-performance energy storage fire safety solutions, accurately resolve all kinds of fire protection problems encountered by customers in the process of project going to sea, and help customers stride forward in the complex and strict regulatory environment.

While accelerating the development of the energy storage industry, Sisda will continue to work on energy storage fire compliance solutions to the sea, and work with customers to draw a new blueprint for energy storage security.