New fire protection guidelines for installing batteries in Sweden

Swedish solar association Svensk Solenergi has refreshed its fire protection guidelines for installing stationary battery storage systems (BESS).

Aimed at installers, property owners and other players in the energy storage industry, the guidelines feature concrete advice on how to install and maintain batteries, as well as recommendations on risk assessment and placement.

The guidelines, which cover both small and large-scale installations, were created in collaboration with Svensk Solenergi’s member companies and the Swedish Fire Protection Association.

“With this guideline, we want to make it easier for players in the industry to work safely and sustainably,” said Anna Werner, CEO of Svensk Solenergi. “It is an important tool to ensure fire safety and at the same time support the expansion of energy storage systems in Sweden.”

The publication comes at a time where BESS adoption is accelerating in Sweden. Figures from Svensk Solenergi state the cumulative installed power of home batteries in Sweden is forecast to increase from just over 200 MW to close to 400 MW this year. The growth coincides with an increase in the number of people granted a tax credit for home battery installation, which has grown from 2,000 in 2021 to 43,000 in 2023. 

Meanwhile, the combined capacity of batteries on commercial properties, industry and large-scale battery parks is expected to increase from around 100 MW at the end of last year to in excess of 1 GW by the end of the year.

At the beginning of October, the capacity of battery projects that had undergone pre-qualification to deliver support services to the Swedish power grids stood in excess of 530 MW. Svensk Solenergi says there are also a large number of projects waiting to be pre-qualified.

Sweden’s largest energy storage investment to date, a 14-site project totalling 211 MW/211 MWh, came online last month.