As the world rapidly shifts toward renewable energy, the demand for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) is booming. Today, these BESS systems are no longer hidden away in remote areas. Instead, they are being installed right in the heart of our cities, sitting next to commercial buildings, data centers, and suburban neighborhoods. While this brings clean energy closer to where it is needed, it creates a massive new challenge: safety and space.

In response to this urban shift, global authorities are tightening fire safety rules. International standards like UL 9540A are pushing the industry toward more rigorous testing, and local agencies are taking strict actions.

In a city as short of land as Singapore, the amount of ground a battery storage system takes up can decide whether a project makes money at all. Singapore’s fire rules (SCDF Fire Code 2023, Clause 10.3) say that battery cabinets without a certified 120-minute fireproof shell must sit at least 3 metres away from firewall and anything that can burn. That empty safety gap wastes a lot of valuable land.

To help developers get that land back, the structural engineering team at QAES started the LS01-EI120 project. The goal was to turn our Luminary 261 battery cabinet into a self-contained box that can hold back fire for two full hours — so the site stays safe without giving up any space. Over the coming weeks, we will share a series of updates detailing exactly how we improved our product and successfully achieved the EI120 certification.