The relevant standard for battery installations from Standards Australia is: Electrical Installations – Safety of battery systems for use with power conversion equipment (AS/NZS 5139:2019).
Small scale renewable energy installations in WA
In most cases, installing solar photo-voltaic (solar PV), battery or wind turbine equipment is electrical installing work. The Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991 (ELR) define electrical installing work as ‘the work of assembling and fixing in place, altering or adding to any electrical installation or maintaining, removing, or connecting to fixed wiring, any electrical equipment’.
BESS are being installed in increasing numbers in electricity distribution networks, homes, remote area power supplies and commercial/industrial installations. Electrical contractors may be asked to recommend and quote for a BESS or install, commission and test a system designed or selected by others. The BESS may or may not form part of a solar photovoltaic (PV) installation. It is important electrical workers familiarise themselves with the systems and relevant safety and testing requirements prior to doing work on BESS.
Careful design and specification of equipment is the guiding principle for each specific installation to achieve the highest practicable standard of safety in design. This is the responsibility of all parties providing the equipment to the customer.
BESS equipment must be installed by licensed electrical contractors if it forms part of an electrical installation or operates at 120V DC or greater.
Safety and compliance checks
This video provides information on the safety and compliance checks needed to ensure the safe installation of residential battery systems that incorporate hybrid inverters. Technical guidance on the compliance requirements is available to download from the list of publications below.
eNotice
The e‑notice system requires all Notices of Completion (NoC) to confirm that multi‑mode inverters operating in partial or full back‑up mode have been tested in line with AS/NZ 4777.1 section 8.3.3. This includes proving continuity of neutral conductors and uploading the relevant test reports and documents using the existing fields in the NoC.
Publications and guidance
Building and Energy has published the following documents to alert electrical contractors and electricians to the safety and compliance requirements associated with BESS:
- Grid Connected Multiple Mode (Hybrid) Inverters - important testing requirements
- Existing PV array compliance requirements when installing BESS (repairs vs alterations)
- Battery Energy Storage Systems
- Lithium-ion batteries used in BESS
- Lead-acid batteries in standalone power systems
- Code of Practice for persons working on or near energised electrical installations
Resources
The Clean Energy Council provides information on requirements for accredited installers and designers of solar and energy storage systems. The industry has developed a Best Practice Guide: Battery Storage Equipment for battery storage electrical safety standards.
The Victorian Country Fire Authority has produced a useful guideline Design Guidelines and Model Requirements: Renewable Energy Facilities that provides standard considerations and measures in relation to:
- fire safety;
- risk and emergency management to be considered when designing;
- constructing and operating new renewable energy facilities; and
- upgrading existing facilities.
It is recommended that the ‘Design Guidelines and Model Requirements: Renewable Energy Facilities’ guidance be considered for large-scale renewable energy facilities including BESS facilities.cluding BESS facilities.
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