Grand Opening of ESS Fire Testing Center
Korea Testing Certification institute (KTC), and Korea Conformity Laboratories (KCL) are delighted to announce the grand opening of the world's largest ESS Fire Testing Center, henceforth referred to as the Fire Testing Center. This significant event took place on Friday, the 15th of the month, within the Fire and Disaster Industry Special Zone in Samcheok, Gangwon Province. Over 150 esteemed guests graced the occasion.
Prominent attendees included Lee Chulgyu, Member of the National Assembly for the People Power Party; Jin Jong-wook, President of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards; Park Sang-su, Mayor of Samcheok; Jung Jung Soon, Chairperson of the Samcheok City Council; President Sungil Ahn of KTC; and President Jo Yung-Tae of KCL.
The Fire Testing Center, equipped with an impressive 30MW dust chamber, stands as a monumental achievement, with a total budget allocation of 69.8 billion KRW spanning from 2020 to 2023. This initiative marks a significant milestone as it represents the first collaborative effort between KTC and KCL, both renowned domestic entities under the Korean Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (KOLAS). The Fire Testing Center offers a comprehensive, one-stop testing and certification service tailored to the entire development cycle of secondary batteries and ESS products, making it a unique asset within Korea.
Within the facilities of the Fire Testing Center, a series of simulations involving electrical hazards such as short circuits and overcharging, commonly found in high-capacity secondary battery products, will be conducted to meticulously analyze fire causation factors. Furthermore, practical experiments addressing flame propagation and effective fire suppression methods will be performed, designed to enhance the safe adoption and proliferation of renewable energy.
Previously, the fragmented testing and evaluation infrastructure for ESS in Korea hindered simultaneous verification of electrical hazards and fire safety tests for high-capacity secondary batteries, leading to inefficiencies. However, with the establishment of the Fire Testing Center, companies will benefit from streamlined processes, enabling them to conduct fire incident investigations and simulations seamlessly in a single location.
The Fire Testing Center has received prestigious designations, including recognition as an international accredited testing organization (IECEE-CBTL) for ESS system electrical hazard testing and designations from TUV Rheinland and KOLAS. These accolades enhance its capability to efficiently support both domestic and international certifications. In the near future, ESS export companies will have the opportunity to attain international certifications through product testing and evaluation conducted in Korea, thereby reducing the time and cost associated with transporting samples to foreign testing facilities.
The global ESS market, primarily powered by lithium secondary batteries, is projected to experience an annual average capacity growth rate of 37%, surging to 357GWh ($54.5 billion) by 2030. North America, in particular, anticipates significant expansion in the ESS market due to the rising adoption of solar and wind power generation, aging power infrastructure, and increased natural disasters, with an estimated annual growth rate of 40%, expected to reach 151GWh ($20.9 billion) by 2030. In contrast, the domestic market saw rapid growth in the power and commercial ESS sector in 2018. Still, since 2017, it has faced challenges stemming from 46 ESS fire incidents and the expiration of promotional tariffs, resulting in a sharp contraction to just 10% of the 2019 market size by 2021.
The Fire Testing Center is poised to act as a catalyst in revitalizing the domestic market by supporting investigations into the causes of ESS fires that remain unidentified, conducting real-world fire incident simulations, and contributing to the overall improvement of ESS system reliability.
President Sungil Ahn of KTC enthusiastically stated, "With the establishment of the ESS Fire Testing Center, we now offer a unique, all-encompassing testing and certification service for fire safety across the entire development cycle. This includes simulations of electrical hazards and secondary battery fire tests. We are committed to actively promoting the global adoption of the highest level of ESS safety to bolster national security and enhance the export competitiveness of our companies."
President Jo Yung-Tae of KCL added, "We have established an infrastructure that adheres to global standards, facilitating the development of fire safety performance in Korean ESS battery products, which are leading the global market. Through our support for overseas certifications, we aspire to contribute to the advancement of the industry and national safety."
