About this chapter: Chapter 12 was added to address the current energy systems found in this code, and is provided for the introduction of a wide range of systems to generate and store energy in, on and adjacent to buildings and facilities.
This document summarizes key provisions from the 2018 International Fire Code regarding electrical energy storage systems and stationary storage battery systems.
More specifically, this chapter addresses standby and emergency power, photovoltaic systems, fuel cell energy systems, battery storage systems and capacitor energy storage.
This document summarizes key provisions from the 2018 International Fire Code regarding electrical energy storage systems and stationary storage battery systems.
The provisions in this section are applicable to energy storage systems designed to provide electrical power to a building or facility. These systems are used to provide standby or emergency power, an uninterruptable power supply, load shedding, load sharing or similar capabilities.
The International Fire Code (IFC) and International Residential Code (IRC) provide guidance on the mounting of stationary energy storage systems (ESS). These standards have been adopted by many jurisdictions in the United States.
Fire areas within buildings containing capacitor energy storage systems that exceed 600 kWh of energy capacity shall comply with all applicable Group H occupancy requirements in this code and the International Building Code.
Maintenance and calibration information, including wiring diagrams, control drawings, schematics, system programming instructions and control sequence descriptions, for all energy storage control systems.
New provisions address hazards related to outdoor pallet storage, higher education laboratories, mobile food trucks and plant processing and extraction activities.
An energy management system shall be provided for battery technologies other than lead-acid and nickel cadmium for monitoring and balancing cell voltages, currents and temperatures within the manufacturer''s specifications.
