Stat-X® Fire Suppression
Fire Suppression for Battery Energy Storage Systems on Rolling Stock
In the U.S., electric vehicles (EVs) are on track to sell one million units in 2023. And in other sectors in the transportation industry, that success certainly is being recognized. As the world seeks to mitigate the effects of global warming, all users of carbon-based
fuels are essentially on notice that they too need to do their part in reducing carbon emissions.
The other sectors in the transportation industry are listening and responding. Lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS) are being deployed in most all forms of transportation. Just about every type of road transport vehicle now has a battery-powered
version. BESS- and hybrid-powered vessels are already among us, and the world’s first battery-powered passenger aircraft is soon to take off.
Therefore, it only stands to reason that BESS-equipped rolling stock should be included in this transition. And they are. As we
will describe below, BESS are currently being widely used in the rolling stock industry. As virtually all trains are ultimately electric powered, it was not a hard jump for the industry to integrate BESS into their propulsion drivers.
BESS on Rolling Stock
BESS are incorporated into rolling stock in a few different ways. Modern rail conveyances are electrically propelled by either drawing electricity directly from overhead lines or the third rail, or, using diesel generators in the locomotive to produce electricity that drives the traction motors. So, adding a BESS was a natural evolution.
