SK On said Wednesday that it has completed a large-scale fire test (LSFT) for its energy storage system (ESS) and met the evaluation criteria of "UL 9540A," the North American standard for ESS fire safety.
UL 9540A is a representative North American ESS safety testing standard that evaluates how much heat spreads to the surroundings when a battery thermal runaway occurs. The LSFT simulates a scenario where a fire breaks out in an actual ESS, examining whether the fire spreads to adjacent containers.
In this test, it was found that the heat from the ESS container where the fire occurred did not lead to thermal runaway of the battery cells inside the adjacent container. The internal temperature of the adjacent container also met the evaluation criteria.
The company explained that its design approach, which disperses and releases heat over an extended period, contributed to preventing the spread of fire. This method suppresses a sharp spike in the heat release rate during a fire, thereby reducing the likelihood of flames spreading to nearby equipment.
SK On plans to use this test report as a springboard to expand its global ESS business. In August, it signed a supply contract for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for ESS with U.S.-based ESS company NeoVolta Power. In September last year, it concluded an ESS supply contract worth 1 GWh (gigawatt-hour) with U.S. renewable energy company Flat Iron.
The company is also expanding its business in the domestic ESS market. At the second central contract market held in February this year, SK On secured 284 MW out of a total of 565 MW, accounting for more than half of the total volume.
To meet growing ESS demand, it is converting 3 GWh of its 7 GWh production line at its Seosan plant in Chungnam Province into a dedicated line for LFP batteries for ESS. It will also bid on the third ESS central contract market, which is known to be worth approximately 1 GW.
An SK On official said, "Through this test, we confirmed that we can maintain key safety performance while suppressing the spread of fire to the surroundings even in an actual fire situation." The official added, "We will strengthen our safety technology and product competitiveness to provide customer-tailored ESS solutions and expand our presence in the global market."
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