German housebuilder puts some LG home batteries into standby mode after explosion

German construction company Viebrockhaus has told pv magazine a 2019-edition LG battery had been installed in the Schönberg home where an explosion occurred last week, completely destroying one wall of the building.

The builder, which installs home solar-plus-storage systems as standard, confirmed the house was built in 2020 and the battery was installed professionally and regularly maintained.

A Viebrockhaus spokeswoman said the company used high- and low-voltage LG batteries in its homes from 2017 to 2024 but now also used products from other, unspecified suppliers.

“All batteries from the same production series as the battery affected in the incident have already been put on standby,” said the spokeswoman. “In addition, we have also throttled down all other LG high-voltage storage units that are in our system,” she added, referring to the reduction in operating capacity of such devices. Viebrockhaus made the move in co-ordination with LG, she confirmed.

The spokeswoman added there is “currently no indication” other home battery systems are at risk and said, “We will pay for the resulting outages.”

A statement that the rarity of battery-related fires means there is “no reason for widespread concern,” made by the Viebrockhaus representative, is backed up by a recent RWTH Aachen University study which estimated the probability of fire in home storage systems was 0.0049%.

A Viebrockhaus resident with a similar home battery, who contacted pv magazine anonymously, said communication with the builder had been “very positive” but described a “problematic” exchange with LG. He said his LG RESU10H energy storage unit was reduced to 75% of its normal operating capacity after the Schönberg explosion. It was set to be put into standby mode for a brief period but he had already switched it off as a precautionary measure.

The resident added, his unit was reduced to 75% capacity from May 2024 until January 23 until a “voluntary software update” became available. He was compensated for the reduction in output. After the update, the resident said, he noticed slight deformations on the lower casing of his unit, which may indicate a defect. A support request he made to LG in mid February 2025 was not initially answered, he said.

A recall notice relating to certain LG energy storage units has been issued at the recall.lgessbattery.com website. Owners of LG home energy storage units should check serial numbers to see whether their systems are affected by the notice and eligible for replacement. The website states, “Affected batteries can overheat and catch fire, which can lead to significant property damage or serious injuries.”

The Viebrockhaus resident who contacted pv magazine said his unit was not affected by the recall notice.

LG has not responded to contact attempts from pv magazine.

The police and public prosecutor’s office have taken over the investigation into the cause of the incident in Schönberg. Viebrockhaus is supporting the investigation but could not provide any more precise information about the cause of the explosion. “In coordination with the police, we immediately began structural safety measures that should enable the police to carry out their work safely,” said the company spokeswoman.

The Viebrockhaus property is so badly damaged that once the investigation is complete, it will be demolished and rebuilt. The new building is planned to be completed by July.

Viebrockhaus said it is in close contact with the homeowner in Schönberg. He will be staying in a holiday apartment for six months at the expense of the building company.

From pv magazine Deutschland.