Sunwoda deliberately burned its own energy storage system as part of a safety test

Sunwoda Puts Its 5 MWh Battery Storage System Through an Extreme Fire Test

Chinese manufacturer Sunwoda has subjected its flagship 5 MWh energy storage system to a rigorous fire safety test. The trial was designed to determine whether a fire in a single unit could trigger a chain reaction and destroy an entire installation. The outcome was impressive.

Extreme Conditions on the Test Site

The test involved five full-scale liquid-cooled battery containers positioned just 15 centimeters apart—significantly closer than required by industry standards. All units were charged to 100% capacity, while fire suppression systems were intentionally disabled.

To create the most challenging scenario possible, thermal barriers were removed from the container where the fire was initiated, and ventilation panels were opened to give the flames ideal conditions for spreading.

Results of the 12-Hour Fire Trial

Although the central unit burned for more than 12 hours, the fire did not spread to the neighboring storage containers. The enclosure maintained its structural integrity, while cell- and module-level protection systems effectively prevented heat transfer between units.

The test was monitored by independent organizations, including the CSA Group. Successfully passing such a demanding trial could pave the way for denser deployment of battery energy storage systems in space-constrained locations, without increasing the risk of a cascading failure in the event of an accident.