Envision Energy, a provider of green technology, has announced it has completed a large-scale fire test for its smart energy storage system, raising the bar for safety, environmental responsibility and system resilience.
Conducted under full on-site supervision by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group), strategic partners, and North American Fire Protection Engineers (FPEs), the test fully complied with the stringent CSA C800 standard – a consensus standard developed with input from insurers, regulators and industry experts.
The test recreated real-world worst-case site conditions by placing four fully charged (100% SOC) 5MWh Envision Smart Energy Storage containers (A, B, C, D) in an ultra-dense back-to-back, side-by-side configuration – just 5 centimeters apart, compared to the typical industry standard spacing of 3 to 5 meters.
According to Envision Energy, this setup represents the most energy-dense fire test layout ever attempted, significantly increasing the challenge due to heightened thermal coupling and limited airflow.
Importantly, the burn was allowed to proceed with zero intervention.
The test was designed to push the boundaries of the most stringent safety limits – yet even under thermal stress and energy concentration, the system showed resilience and containment.
Container A burned for 49 hours and 32 minutes, reaching a peak temperature of 1,297°C. Meanwhile, internal battery temperatures in the adjacent containers B, C and D remained stable at just 35°C, 44°C and 43°C respectively.
Notably, container A maintained structural integrity throughout the burn, showing no deformation, no collapse and intact sealing gaskets.
There was zero fire spread or damage to neighboring containers. Units B, C and D remained unscathed inside and out, with post-test inspections confirming all internal modules were fully operational and undamaged.
To simulate a worst-case ignition scenario, the fire was initiated by applying high-power, synchronized heating to four battery cells within a modified pack, from which the nano-level thermal insulation had been removed.
The ignition source was strategically placed at the center of the container cluster – where fire spread risk is greatest in all directions.
Under these extreme conditions, ignition took nearly three hours – over 50% longer than typical – offering a critical window for early detection and emergency response.
Environmental safety was also a key focus throughout the test, according to Envision Energy.
All combustion gases from the burning container A were captured by overhead smoke hoods, analyzed for composition and fully neutralized through advanced treatment.
It was also shared how the entire 49-hour test produced no odors, no emissions and zero pollution.
Envision Energy, a provider of green technology, has announced it has completed a large-scale fire test for its smart energy storage system, intended to solidify safety, environmental responsibility and system resilience.
