Core Insights - The report by ACCURE highlights that approximately 19% of large-scale energy storage projects globally exhibit quality and performance anomalies, indicating that nearly one in five projects fails to meet design expectations [1] - The industry faces significant safety and performance challenges, prompting leading companies to adopt extreme measures like "burn tests" to validate system safety, which has become a cornerstone of industry trust [1][3] - The rapid expansion of the energy storage sector has been accompanied by nearly 30 safety incidents globally this year, underscoring that safety is a critical factor for sustainable development in the industry [2] Industry Challenges - The energy storage sector in China has seen cumulative installed capacity exceed 100 GW, marking a 32-fold increase since the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan, making it an essential component of the modern energy system [1] - The risk of thermal runaway in energy storage systems is significant, with potential energy release from a single battery cell reaching 3.6 MJ, escalating to 100 GJ at the system level, equivalent to 24 tons of TNT [2][3] Safety Measures and Standards - The implementation of the first mandatory national standard for lithium-ion batteries in energy storage systems (GB44240—2024) reflects the industry's efforts to enhance safety standards and technical validation [3] - Large-scale burn tests are transitioning from optional to implicit entry barriers in the industry, particularly in high-end markets like the U.S. and the Middle East, where such reports are becoming prerequisites for project approval and financing [3][4] Testing and Verification - The current lack of standardized testing methods among energy storage companies leads to challenges in result comparability and safety level assessments, highlighting the need for a unified testing framework [6][7] - Experts suggest that as technology advances, the reliance on large-scale burn tests may diminish, advocating for the establishment of safety standards based on empirical data rather than repeated costly tests [7][8] Future Directions - The industry is encouraged to collaborate with academic and research institutions to develop precise fire models and utilize simulation to reduce the need for extensive physical testing, aiming for a more efficient and environmentally friendly safety verification process [8]