NFPA Journal - May/June 2019 - 85

NFPACONFERENCE&EXPO
SANANTONIO2019
apart. With those possible changes in
mind, here are some of the key aspects
of NFPA 855:

to lithium-ion battery ESS, but that is
incorrect-the scope is much broader
than that.
The scope of NFPA 855 applies to
Scope, purpose, and
several technologies and to energy
application
storage systems of a certain size or
The importance of the scope, purpose,
capacity. The threshold when NFPA 855
and application statements in the
applies is different for each technology.
front of the standard is frequently
For example, the standard applies to
overlooked. Users often assume they
lead acid battery ESS with a combined
know what the standard applies to
capacity of 70 KWh (kilowatt-hour)
simply by reading the title, but that
or more, while ESS using lithium-ion
is not always the case. An assumption
batteries requires a threshold of 20
with NFPA 855 is that it applies only
KWh for NFPA 855 to apply. For those
unfamiliar with the
units of KWh, a typical smartphone has
CONFERENCE SESSIONS
a 5 watt-hour (0.005
KWh) battery, a laptop
Energy Storage Systems-Evaluating Potential
has a 50 watt-hour
Fire Propagation
Monday, June 17, 8-9 a.m. Adam Barowy and
(0.05 KWh) battery,
Howard Hopper, UL
and an electric vehicle
has a 75 KWh battery.
A New Standard for Energy Storage Systems:
NFPA 855
Monday, June 17, 9:15-10:15 a.m.
Brian O'Connor and Chad Duffy, NFPA

NFPA Energy Storage & Solar Systems Safety
Training-Fire Service Edition
Tuesday, June 18, 8-9 a.m.
Andrew Klock, NFPA
Stranded Energy in Lithium-Ion Batteries
Tuesday, June 18, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Victoria Hutchison, NFPA
Energy Storage Systems in Commercial
Occupancies-Developing Fire Protection
Guidance
Tuesday, June 18, 5-6 p.m.
Benjamin Ditch, FM Global; Richard Long,
Exponent
When Batteries Die-Post-Fire Incident
Management for Energy Storage Systems
Wednesday, June 19, 9:15-10:15 a.m.
Nick Warner, Warner Energy Storage Solutions;
Paul Rogers, IAFF; Tom Bensen, Bensen Fire and
Security
Energy Storage Systems Regulations-
Evolution and Correlation
Wednesday, June 19, 10:30 a.m.-noon
Howard Hopper, UL; Robert Davidson, Davidson
Code Concepts
Energy Storage in Your Home: Can You Sleep
at Night?
Tuesday, June 19, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Chad Kennedy, Schneider Electric; Robert
Davidson, Davidson Code Concepts

Location of ESS
installations
Another key aspect
of NFPA 855 is that
it takes into consideration the location
of the ESS installation when applying
requirements-the
standard recognizes
that there are different
hazards for different
locations. For example, an ESS system
in the middle of an
empty field will have
fewer, and less-stringent, requirements
than an ESS inside a
shopping mall.
NFPA 855 initially
breaks down locations
into categories of
indoor and outdoor.
Indoor locations
consider whether the
building is to be used
only for the purpose
of containing an ESS.
The standard uses
the terms "dedicated
use building" and
"non-dedicated use

building" to describe these. If you are
in a non-dedicated use building, the
standard requires fire-rated separation
from other occupancies, with either a
one- or two-hour-rated wall, based on
which occupancies are being separated.
Another important requirement that
applies to indoor installation is that
ESS installations need to be approved
by the AHJ if they are installed below
the lowest level of exit discharge, above
external fire department laddering
capabilities, or on noncombustible
rooftops.
If an installation is outdoors, then
it is either classified as remote or
near exposures. If an installation
is remote, it needs to be 100 feet or
more away from any exposures such
as other buildings, walkways, or combustible materials. If the installation
is not a remote installation, then it
is considered to be near exposures.
Other acceptable outdoor installations
that have specific requirements are
rooftops, open parking garages, and
standalone walk-in units such as shipping containers.

Size and separation
ESS installations
Another key requirement in NFPA
855 applies to the size and separation
of ESS installations. Three feet of
clear space is required between every
50 KWh grouping of ESS, as well as
between the 50 KWh groupings and
the walls of the room.
The intent of this requirement is to
prevent horizontal propagation of fire
through an ESS installation. Horizontal
propagation of a fire can overwhelm
a fire suppression system and render
it ineffective. This was a controversial
topic, because one of the benefits of
certain ESS technologies is that a large
amount of energy can be concentrated
in a small area, and this requirement
can expand the footprint for an installation. However, this is not required for
remote locations because, in the event
of a fire, they are less likely to spread
to adjacent exposures.

Fire suppression and control
A sprinkler system is required to be
installed in accordance with NFPA
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NFPA Journal - May/June 2019

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