ACCURE Introduces New Software Features to Prevent Lithium-ion Battery Fires

MUNICH, Germany, June 14, 2023—ACCURE Battery Intelligence, the leader in predictive analytics software for energy storage, today announced several innovative safety-focused functionalities in its flagship ACCURE Safety Manager™ solution. This stride in innovation introduces an intuitive battery safety scoring system, data-informed action recommendations, and active alerting across multiple communication channels. The software provides weeks of advance notice of safety-critical problems, empowering operators to act before a battery incident occurs. This lead time is critical to preventing thermal runaway events that can spark fires and explosions.

Battery incidents continue to impact energy and automotive companies, costing billions in damages and lost revenue. According to the EPRI BESS Failure Event Database, more than 50 publicly known stationary storage safety events have occurred since 2018. Many energy storage safety efforts have focused on containment rather than prevention. By contrast, ACCURE’s solution takes a proactive, data-focused approach to address safety issues early and strategically before they become dangerous.

“We go well beyond the capabilities of an onboard battery management system in identifying safety risks,” said Dr. Kai-Phillip Kairies, CEO and co-founder of ACCURE. “We analyze operational anomalies, identify error patterns, and use this information to evaluate the entire system. Our solution gives battery operators the knowledge to make informed decisions among all their battery portfolios.”

Receive battery safety insights before there is an incident

The ACCURE Safety Manager accurately predicts battery problems weeks before an incident by processing large amounts of data with cloud computing. This predictive analytics software uses physics-based modeling and artificial intelligence to continuously monitor and detect over 20 safety-relevant anomalies. These include cell and module defects, battery management system (BMS) errors, and cell damage caused by environment-related factors such as poor HVAC performance.

By having battery safety information readily available, owners and operators can transition to condition-based asset management practices. This allows them to realize substantial operations and maintenance (O&M) and insurance savings while safely managing the risks of energy storage.

New and enhanced features to maximize battery safety

The latest ACCURE Safety Manager software release includes the following features that substantially increases the safety of battery energy storage system and electric fleets:

• Safety scoring system
  Batteries are assigned a safety score based on a deep analysis of operational anomalies and associated error patterns. When scoring the battery, the software considers the error and severity and models it against historical data taken from systems worldwide. The rating is based on a robust suite of analytical methods that weighs different safety indicators and anomalies against each other.
  
  Battery states are visualized on a single-pane-of-glass dashboard so operators can identify safety issues through a simple and intuitive indicator system. Recovering and recalibrating systems are automatically rated down in severity to allow site and fleet managers to focus on critical issues and not be overwhelmed by alerts.
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• ‍‍‍Data-informed recommendations
  Within each safety rating, the software provides suggested actions for the battery system. The operator can schedule planned maintenance such as recalibrating systems, replacing sensors and modules, or, in the case of critical errors, have advanced notice to shut down the battery before an incident occurs. The operators can then use the logged data to address system issues and support potential warranty claims.
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• Mission-critical alerts
  The system delivers high-priority insights quickly and efficiently with automated logging and alerts. It can send mission-critical messages through multiple communication channels, including email, text, and Slack. Operators can also tailor reporting to fit their internal processes, align with KPI tracking and share with stakeholders.
  

“These latest updates empower battery operators with proactive insights to prevent catastrophic events,” Kairies said.  “With the ACCURE Safety Manager solution, we go beyond cost containment and unplanned downtimes, analyzing anomalies and providing data-based recommendations to avoid problems. Our intuitive dashboard, safety scoring system, and mission-critical alerts enable strategic management of these important assets, saving costs, increasing revenue, and ensuring peace of mind."