TWAICE, the leading provider of battery analytics software, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) published today (May 15) their joint study: the first publicly available analysis of the root causes of battery energy storage system (BESS) failures. In aggregating why battery systems have failed in the past in an easily accessible format, the report will help guide efforts to mitigate storage incidents in the future and minimize BESS risk.
The report draws primarily from EPRI's BESS Failure Event Database to categorize failure incidents by cause and failed element. Of the 81 events in the database, 26 had sufficient information to establish a root cause. TWAICE engineers worked with EPRI and PNNL to classify these failures, applying their expertise in battery analysis to determine causes and categorize them.
Their findings ultimately showed that many BESS failures can be prevented with better quality assurance and battery monitoring. Contrary to popular belief, the engineers determined only three failures could be traced to defects on the cell or module, underscoring the need for tools that enable improved commissioning and operational analysis of the entire system.
"Understanding the reasons behind battery storage failures is critical for preventing them, which is why we're pleased to help create the first-ever public analysis of BESS incidents by cause," said Ryan Franks, Senior Engineer at TWAICE. "The report emphasizes the importance of battery analytics, with most of the failures traced to the integration and operation stages. We believe this new resource will help guide further development of analytics software that can ensure BESS safety. We're honored to support EPRI in the publication of this report and thankful for the collaboration of their engineers and those from PNNL."
In underscoring the importance of battery analytics and its future development, the report lays the foundation for a more resilient and secure energy storage infrastructure. The analysis of failure incidents demonstrates that, while manufacturing defects do contribute to some failures, operators must pay equal attention to potential errors during the design, integration, and operation of BESS units. Analytics software is ideally suited to detect these incidents before they lead to a system failure, and the publication of this report should help guide the development of mitigation strategies - which include the deployment of battery analytics.
The full report can be downloaded at EPRI's website. TWAICE, EPRI, and PNNL will present a summary of the report at the Energy Storage Safety and Reliability Forum at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory from May 14-16, 2024.
About TWAICE
TWAICE provides predictive analytics software for companies working with batteries addressing key concerns throughout the entire lifecycle. Customers using TWAICE de-risk their battery business and outperform their peers by increasing battery performance and lifetime. Uniquely combining deep battery knowledge and artificial intelligence on a scalable analytics platform, TWAICE generates actionable insights at every step of the battery lifecycle. In addition to enabling TWAICE products, the analytics platform is a launchpad for customer and partner solutions, leveraging an entire ecosystem of market leaders. TWAICE is committed to increasing the lifetime, efficiency, safety, and sustainability of the products that power the economy of tomorrow.
Media Contact
Justin Williams
Trevi Communications for TWAICE
justin@trevicomm.com
+1 (978) 539-7157
For more information
3420 Hillview Avenue
Palo Alto California
United States 94304
www.epri.com
