Energy storage cabinet grounding design requirements

Why do battery energy storage systems need grounding and bonding?

For grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS), grounding and bonding is essential for safety and performance. The goal of grounding and bonding is to achieve customer-targeted resistance levels. These low resistance levels allow fault currents to easily discharge into the ground, protecting people, equipment and the BESS itself.

Should a cabinet be grounded if it is not painted?

If the cabinet is not painted, zinc coating treatment inside ensures that all mechanical joints conduct properly. If the cabinet is painted, all components and installation plates should be grounded via a cable to the grounding busbar. Body grounding does not replace a protective earth connection.

Do I need a grounding cable if my cabinet is painted?

If the cabinet is painted, all components and installation plates should be grounded via a cable to the grounding busbar. Body grounding does not replace a protective earth connection. PE conductors are always required from the PE terminal of the device to the PE busbar if there is body grounding or not.

What happens if a grounding system fails?

These low resistance levels allow fault currents to easily discharge into the ground, protecting people, equipment and the BESS itself. The consequences of a failed or insufficient grounding system can be severe – thermal runaway leading to fires, system downtime, component failures, reduced efficiency and other safety hazards.