A guide mapping out the safety challenges and knowledge gaps in the Australian energy storage market has been unveiled.
The Clean Energy Council launched the Australian-first home energy storage safety guide, in collaboration with CSIRO, to answer consumers’ questions about the technology.
The CSIRO Energy Storage Safety report takes an in-depth look at battery technologies, best practice safety, disposal and recycling of energy storage products and systems, CSIRO Energy Group Leader Dr Sam Behrens said.
Among CSIRO’s recommendations are increasing research and identifying the best methods for recycling lithium-ion battery storage systems in the country.
It also aims to establish a set of best practices specific to the battery storage industry, including development and upkeep of an installation, maintenance and incident reporting database for energy storage systems (ESS) in Australia.
The report could provide designers, manufacturers and installers with a guide allowing them to meet and alleviate customer needs and fears as the ESS market space becomes a hotly contested area for companies such as Tesla and Panasonic.
The guide and the safety report were completed by CSIRO as part of the Clean Energy Council’s Future-Proofing in Australia’s Electricity Distribution Industry (FPDI) project, which is receiving funding support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).