KiddeFenwal Highlights Advanced Fire Protection Solutions for Battery Energy Storage Systems at Global Industry Events
KiddeFenwal, a global leader in fire protection and safety control technologies, is showcasing its latest innovations for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) at two of the fire protection industry’s most important events — Interschutz in Germany and the NFPA Conference and Expo in the United States. The company’s participation reflects the increasing focus on safety as battery energy storage systems become a critical component of modern energy infrastructure worldwide.
As nations accelerate the transition toward renewable energy and sustainable power generation, BESS installations are rapidly expanding across utility, commercial, industrial, and residential sectors. These systems play a key role in storing electricity generated from renewable sources such as solar and wind, helping stabilize power grids and improve energy reliability. However, the growing adoption of lithium-ion battery technology has also increased concerns regarding fire safety and thermal runaway incidents.
Thermal runaway is one of the most significant risks associated with lithium-ion batteries. The phenomenon occurs when excessive heat generated inside a battery cell triggers an uncontrollable chain reaction, causing rapid temperature increases, gas release, fire, and in some cases explosions. Such incidents can spread quickly from one battery cell to another, creating major safety hazards for facilities, operators, and emergency responders.
To address these challenges, KiddeFenwal is presenting what it describes as a first-of-its-kind, multi-layered fire protection approach specifically designed for BESS applications. The integrated solution combines advanced detection, suppression, environmental monitoring, and prevention technologies to identify fire risks at the earliest possible stage and minimize the likelihood of catastrophic failures.
The company’s fire safety systems are engineered to work together as a coordinated solution, delivering comprehensive protection throughout the entire lifecycle of a potential fire event. According to KiddeFenwal, this layered approach enhances operational safety while helping energy storage operators maintain reliability and reduce downtime.
Among the technologies being highlighted at Interschutz and the NFPA Conference and Expo is REL-iON™, a sophisticated sensor platform developed to monitor conditions within battery storage systems continuously. The platform can detect and report a wide range of early warning indicators, including flammable gases, hydrogen buildup, overheating, refrigerant leaks, water intrusion, temperature fluctuations, humidity changes, and signs of corrosion.
By identifying these conditions before they escalate into dangerous events, REL-iON™ enables facility operators to take preventive action quickly. Early detection is considered one of the most important factors in reducing the severity of thermal runaway incidents and preventing large-scale damage.
KiddeFenwal is also demonstrating its advanced air sampling detection technology, which is capable of identifying smoke particles at the incipient stage of a fire. Unlike traditional smoke detection systems that respond after visible smoke develops, air sampling systems continuously analyze air quality and can recognize the earliest traces of combustion. This provides valuable additional time for automated suppression systems and emergency response teams to act before a fire intensifies.
Another key component of the company’s integrated safety solution includes the AEGIS™-PHX and ARIES™-SLX fire alarm and suppression control units. These systems are designed to coordinate immediate suppression responses when fire conditions are detected. By automating suppression activation and system management, the control units help contain incidents rapidly and reduce the risk of fire propagation across battery arrays.
For active fire suppression, KiddeFenwal is featuring Fluoro-K™, a clean-agent suppression technology designed specifically for high-risk energy storage environments. The agent rapidly reduces temperatures and extinguishes flames directly at the source while helping prevent cell-to-cell thermal propagation. Unlike some traditional suppression agents, Fluoro-K™ leaves no harmful residue behind, minimizing cleanup requirements and reducing damage to valuable equipment.
The company is also presenting NATURA™ IG-100, an environmentally friendly inert gas suppression system that uses nitrogen to maintain an oxygen-deficient environment incapable of sustaining combustion. By lowering oxygen concentrations safely within protected spaces, the system helps prevent re-ignition following an initial suppression event. This added layer of protection is particularly important in lithium-ion battery applications where reignition risks can persist even after visible flames have been extinguished.
According to KiddeFenwal, the effectiveness of combining these technologies has been validated through extensive research and controlled fire testing. Multi-year research conducted at the University of Maryland, along with controlled fire tests completed in December 2025, demonstrated that integrated detection and suppression systems provide significantly improved performance in rapidly identifying and suppressing fires in BESS environments.
The research findings indicated that layered protection systems can reduce the spread of fire, protect high-value infrastructure, and create safer conditions for first responders arriving at incident scenes. The ability to suppress initial flames quickly while limiting reignition risk is considered essential as larger battery installations become more common worldwide.
Rekha Agrawal, Chief Executive Officer of KiddeFenwal, emphasized the importance of advanced fire safety solutions in enabling the continued growth of battery energy storage systems and renewable energy technologies.
“The full promise of BESS as reliable and sustainable energy solutions can truly be unleashed when protected with highly sophisticated fire systems,” Agrawal said. “Given our 100-plus years of industry leadership and culture that emphasizes across-the-board innovation, KiddeFenwal is advancing the pioneering fire prevention, detection and suppression systems needed for today’s most forward-thinking energy storage companies worldwide.”
The company believes that as governments and industries invest heavily in clean energy infrastructure, fire safety will remain a top priority for developers, regulators, insurers, and emergency response organizations. Integrated protection systems capable of addressing the unique hazards of lithium-ion batteries are expected to become increasingly important in ensuring safe deployment and long-term operational reliability.
KiddeFenwal’s participation in Interschutz and the NFPA Conference and Expo provides industry professionals with an opportunity to explore these technologies firsthand and learn more about emerging best practices in BESS fire protection. Interschutz, one of the world’s leading trade fairs for fire and rescue services, will take place in Hanover, Germany, from June 1–6, while the NFPA Conference and Expo will be held in Las Vegas from June 22–24.
Attendees visiting KiddeFenwal’s booths at both events will have the opportunity to see demonstrations of the company’s latest fire protection innovations and gain insights into how advanced detection and suppression technologies are shaping the future of energy storage safety.
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