PS26239 - RAF015/2627 - Plug-in batteries safety study

*Expression of Interest* The requested date for repsonces 21/08/2026 @ 14:00 Scope and Requirements Phase 1 The objective of phase 1 is to assess the safety and risk considerations for deployment of up to 800 W AC mains output plug-in batteries in the UK context with acceptable electrical and fire safety risk. The study will inform technical standards adaptations and assess the feasibility of safe, plug-in batteries for UK domestic use. Scope of Phase 1 work: 1. Evaluate the different plug-in self-installed battery products on sale around the world, for example, from producers such as Anker, Fox, Lidl, and EcoFlow, listing the available key specifications, including: Battery chemistry (e.g. lithium ion LFP, sodium ion), Storage capacities of single units (kWh), expandable capacities from connecting multiple units of compatible units according to manufacturer’s instructions (kWh), power outputs (kW), compatibility with plug-in solar units from the same manufacturer or different manufacturers,, compliance with standards including any technical documentation supplied as part of compliance with EU Battery Regulations, compatibility with various installation configurations. 2. Evaluate the safety risk and hazards of plug-in battery systems currently in the international market installed DIY by consumers, considering the various possible configurations these plug-in systems could be installed , including: i. Fire incidence: Analysis of the fire incidence of plug-in batteries vs batteries in other products e.g. home batteries, phone batteries, e-bikes, including data from UK and international sources. ii. Electrical safety: Review the final report from the Plug-in solar electrical safety study and the Plug-in solar: Interim Product Specification and relevant safety standards (including BS EN 62852, BS EN IEC 62368-1, BS 7671, BS EN 62109-2, BS EN 62477-1, BS EN IEC 61204-3, BS EN IEC 61204-7, EN 61000-6-3. Class B, EN 61000-3-2) and evaluate whether and which additional electrical safety tests need to be considered for up to 800 W AC mains output plug-in batteries and plug-in batteries coupled with plug-in solar. iii. Battery standards review & additional engineering controls: Review related battery safety standards, including BS EN IEC 62619:2022, PAS 63100, MIS3012, BS EN IEC 52485, BS EN 62133-2, EU Digital Product Passport legislations (with regards to disposal), the American national standards UL9540, UL9540A, and NPFA 855, the German standard VDE-AR-E 2510-50, plug-in battery technical specifications and user/install manuals, and any drafted national standards on plug-in batteries, to a. assess which battery safety standards are most relevant to plug-in batteries in the UK and internationally, including identifying any gaps in scope where standards apply to home batteries installed by an electrician but do not include plug-in batteries, b. assess to what extent plug-in battery products on the global market are certified against the fire safety and battery safety standards required for home batteries, c. assess what additional fire safety tests are needed to assess these products in the UK domestic context to ensure the fire safety of the plug-in battery use cases (for example, exposure to domestic fire, location of device in the home etc.) and verify that a representative set of products on the market meet the relevant battery standards. d. assess which additional provisions should be considered for inclusion in a plug-in batteries product standard to reduce the risk of the plug-in battery becoming an ignition source and reduce the hazards of fires involving these batteries, including: A. Developing a list of controls that could potentially be deployed to improve the fire safety of plug-in batteries. Examples include: I. Limiting charge levels II. Discharging cells in event of a fire III. Physical controls – e.g. minimum case requirements IV. Incorporating fire suppression systems V. Incorporating toxic gas suppression systems B. Devising a test plan for how to quantify how these engineering controls would reduce the risk of becoming an ignition source and reduce the hazards of fires involving batteries C. Estimating the cost and benefits of each mitigation method and determine the priority order of the mitigations. Recommend which (if any) should be specified in any future plug-in battery standard, and map key points of non-compliance of existing products with these provisions and standards identified as necessary to ensure safe install and use of these systems inside UK homes, and potential pathways for mitigation. The finalised scope of the laboratory test protocols (point 3. below) would be expected to be informed by the findings from a) b) and c), and the results of the laboratory tests would be expected to help inform the findings of d) and e), alongside desk-based research. 3. Laboratory testing: i. Design a test protocol to cover a relevant range of plug-in batteries and installation configu