KEC standards can prevent ESS fires: Peronnet

International Electrotechnical Commission TC 64 Chair Jacques Peronnet said at a press conference on Oct. 29 that new electrical installation standards adopted in Korea can help prevent fires at Energy Storage Systems.

Peronnet is concurrently director of building & IT business standardization at Schneider Electric, which hosted the conference. IEC is one of the world’s top three organizations that develop international standards, along with the ISO and ITU.

IEC 60364 is the IEC international standard on electrical installations of buildings, and it was based on this that Korea’s KEC were created in 2018. The new guidelines will go into effect as of January 2021 to replace the previous standards that were set in 1962.

According to Peronnet, IEC 60364 contains all the necessary guidelines for preventing hazards, such as fires. IEC 60364 does not set the standards for ESS products, but what it does is set the tone for the environment that the products are placed in.

Last year, the South Korean government attributed the string of fires at ESS products to factors such as unsatisfactory management of ESS environment and faulty installment.

Citing data given by experts, Peronnet said the adoption of KES, ESS would not only become safer, but also more efficient, by up to 30% more.

As KEC is based on IEC, which is used about 82% globally, the chairman expected it would eliminate the problem of having to adopt multiple standards, while at the same time contributing to enhancing the global competitiveness of Korean electric companies.

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