TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection said the National Center for Energy Storage System Technology conducted a fire drill Thursday, activating emergency response procedures while testing monitoring and smoke ventilation systems.
According to the bureau, the center, established in 2024, mainly tests energy storage systems and battery products. The drill simulated a battery overheating scenario to observe fire behavior and smoke generation, per CNA.
The drill was conducted in a testing chamber with 50-centimeter-thick walls and a fire-resistant design. It also simulated energy storage systems placed inside shipping containers, with fire-resistant boards installed around the equipment for protection.
Local fire authorities were also on site to monitor the drill and carry out smoke control measures. No equipment or personnel at the center were affected.
The drill results were converted into data and parameters to support safety design and risk management for energy storage products, the bureau said.
The agency added that the center has a 360-kW energy storage system testing capacity, helping address gaps in domestic testing resources. The facility includes fire resistance, combustion, and vibration testing laboratories. It has also started testing large-scale energy storage systems and electric bus batteries.
The bureau said the government has stepped up efforts to develop renewable energy, with energy storage systems and lithium battery development seen as key technologies for stabilizing renewable power generation.
It added that more companies are expected to install large-scale energy storage systems. The center is expected to become a crucial facility for safety testing.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has introduced subsidies to encourage companies in industrial parks and science parks to install energy storage systems. The subsidy offers up to NT$5 million (US$160,000) per megawatt-hour of capacity, requiring companies to use locally made lithium batteries in purchased equipment.
