A fault in a battery can cause a fire or an explosion (a release of energy in an uncontrolled manner). With lead-acid batteries there is the danger of acid spillages and explosive hydrogen gas. Damaged or incorrectly operated lithium-ion batteries can be a fire and/or explosion hazard. Strict compliance with manufacturers’ installation, operation and maintenance instructions is essential.
Purchasers of PV systems with batteries need to consider:
- Where in a building are the batteries going to be installed?
- Batteries are large, heavy and contain hazardous materials.
- A special room may need to be constructed for larger systems.
- Who is going to maintain the batteries?
- Only trained persons should do so.
- How are the batteries going to be disposed of at the end of their service life?
- Batteries are considered to be toxic waste.
- Some companies have comprehensive recycling schemes for equipment.
Deep cycle 2 V lead-acid batteries in a battery room. Each battery cell is 0.5 metres high. The nominal output of the PV array is 2,000 Wp.
Warning signs used with lead-acid batteries.
There are international standards regarding the installation requirements for batteries, battery enclosures and battery rooms. Reputable manufacturers will incorporate these into their installation and operation manuals/instructions, which should always be rigorously adhered to. The requirements for lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion batteries will be different.
There are also issues regarding battery fires (especially with regard to lithium-ion batteries) that firefighting services need to be aware of.