Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is reshaping the Kingdom’s energy landscape. Mega-projects such as NEOM and the Red Sea Global destination rely heavily on renewable energy – and battery energy storage systems (BESS) are critical for grid stability.
This trend is not unique to Saudi Arabia. From the UAE’s ‘300 billion dirham industrial strategy’ to Oman’s Vision 2040, the entire Middle East is accelerating energy transition and deploying BESS at an unprecedented scale. However, a critical question is emerging: are fire suppression systems installed inside BESS enclosures safe to operate in potentially explosive atmospheres?
For project developers, fire safety consultants and civil defence authorities across the Middle East, this is not just a technical question – it is a matter of compliance, asset protection and public safety.
The Hydrogen Risk
When a lithium-ion battery goes into thermal runaway, it releases large quantities of flammable gases – predominantly hydrogen. According to research published in the international journal Energy, flammable gases generated from lithium-ion battery thermal runaway can accumulate rapidly within energy storage stations and may lead to severe explosions when exposed to an ignition source. Statistics show that between 2011 and 2021, a total of 32 energy storage fire and explosion incidents were reported worldwide, confirming the widespread nature of this risk.
Under the IEC 60079 classification system, hydrogen falls under Gas Group IIC – the highest explosion severity level within Group II (flammable gases/vapours). This means that any equipment installed inside a BESS container theoretically faces the most demanding explosion protection requirements.
NFPA 855 Mandatory Requirements
International standards are not silent. NFPA 855 explicitly requires BESS to limit flammable gas concentrations to below 25% of the lower explosive limit. NFPA 69 (explosion prevention) and NFPA 68 (explosion venting) provide design methodologies. The core logic: the equipment itself must not become an ignition source.
Equipment must meet:
Gas Group IIC: Capable of handling hydrogen
Temperature Class T6: Maximum surface temperature ≤85°C (hydrogen auto-ignition is approx. 560°C)
Local Practice: Saudi SEC Guidelines
Saudi Electricity Company’s Battery Energy Storage System Connection Guidelines impose stricter requirements:
| Requirement | International Standard | Saudi Local Requirement |
| Gas Group IIC | IEC 60079 | SEC mandatory assessment for hydrogen |
| Temp Class T6 | NFPA 855 (25% LFL) | Aligns with limit to eliminate ignition risk |
| System Interlock | NFPA 68/69 | SBC 801 mandates gas detection + ventilation |
| Equipment Certification | IEC 62619 | Saudi IECEE mandatory |
Additionally, the guidelines require equipment to operate reliably in 50°C high-temperature, high-dust environments and mandate gas detection interlocked with explosion-proof ventilation.
Compliance and Recommendations
In Saudi Arabia, equipment must pass Saudi IECEE certification (based on IEC 62619) and submit compliance documentation in SEC’s grid connection process.
Recommendations for project teams:
Specify IIC/T6 in procurement – Require that fire suppression equipment inside BESS enclosures hold IECEx certification for Gas Group IIC, Temperature Class T6.
Request certification evidence – Require official third-party certificates, not self-declarations.
Engage early with authorities – Discuss explosion-proof requirements with Saudi Civil Defence and SEC during design to avoid approval delays.
Reference standards in documentation – Explicitly cite NFPA 855, IEC 60079, and SEC guidelines in project documentation.
Conclusion
The Saudi market is not a regulatory vacuum. Through international standards (NFPA 855/IEC 60079) combined with local SEC guidelines, Saudi Arabia‘s energy storage safety framework has established clear barriers for explosion-proof certification.
International standards require flammable gas concentrations below 25% LFL, with equipment meeting IIC/T6 requirements. Saudi SEC guidelines add 50°C extreme environment adaptability and gas detection/ventilation interlocks.
For Middle East mega-projects, adopting a risk-based conservative approach – requiring Group II, IIC, T6 certified fire suppression systems – is not over-engineering. It is the minimum threshold to meet NFPA 855 and SEC compliance requirements.
Basing decisions on standards, and taking certification as the benchmark – this is not an optional extra, but a prerequisite for the mega-projects of tomorrow.
