- System level fire testing conducted on 21 May 2026 under UL Solutions supervision with Atar Fire witnessing.
- Four battery container configuration plus one PCS and transformer station used to simulate real large scale deployment conditions.
- No fire propagation observed to adjacent containers and key safety systems maintained functionality during extreme conditions.
SolaX has completed a large scale system fire test on its ORI energy storage system under extreme conditions, marking a significant validation step for full system safety performance in utility scale energy storage deployments. The test was carried out on 21 May 2026 by UL Solutions and witnessed by Atar Fire, with the objective of assessing how a complete integrated storage installation behaves during severe fault conditions rather than evaluating individual components in isolation.
The test setup included four sets of direct current battery containers and one power conversion system and transformer station, arranged in a configuration designed to replicate a real world large scale energy storage site layout. The system level approach enabled assessment of interactions between battery containers, power conversion equipment, communication systems, cabling infrastructure and structural protection features under abnormal operating conditions.
For developers, asset owners and investors, system level fire performance is increasingly relevant as energy storage projects scale up globally. Fire events in such installations can have implications beyond equipment damage, including plant downtime, insurance considerations, emergency response planning and long term asset bankability.
The test simulated fire development from initiation through growth and eventual extinguishing, with monitoring focused on thermal runaway behaviour, temperature rise in adjacent units, structural integrity, cable safety risks and continuity of battery management system communication and fire alarm functions.
According to the test results, no thermal runaway propagation was observed to adjacent containers and no fire spread occurred to nearby battery units or to the alternating current and power conversion container. The maximum recorded temperature in the initiating container reached 1371.6 °C, while adjacent target containers recorded maximum instantaneous cell temperatures of 69.6 °C, 36.9 °C and 69.9 °C respectively, with all maintaining 100% cell availability.
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The maximum surface temperature recorded on the power conversion and transformer container was 211 °C. Electrical components within the initiating container remained intact after the test, and no inter container cable combustion risk was identified. Structural integrity of the initiating container was maintained with no collapse observed, while battery management system communication in the target containers remained stable throughout the test period.
SolaX stated that the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the ORI system design in limiting fire propagation and maintaining key safety functions under extreme conditions. The compartmentalisation approach, thermal isolation strategy and system level safety architecture were highlighted as contributing factors to the observed performance.
Speaking on the outcome, SolaX leadership emphasised that energy storage safety must be validated at system level rather than component level alone, noting that stakeholders are increasingly focused on real world behaviour under extreme conditions rather than isolated laboratory performance.
The company added that the test forms part of its broader strategy to integrate safety validation into product development and long term operational planning as demand for large scale energy storage continues to grow across global energy markets.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
For enquiries on the African continent, contact Kendall at SolaX Power South Africa:
- Email: kendall.xu@solaxpower.com
- SA phone number + 27 079 236 7565
- WhatsApp + 86 188 5626 6201
