E-STORAGE KuBank 3.0 battery passes large-scale fire testing
Canadian Solar Inc. and energy storage subsidiary E-STORAGE have announced the successful completion of large-scale fire testing (LSFT) for the KuBank 3.0 battery system.
The commercial and industrial-scale energy storage system is now the industry’s first to pass the testing under the latest UL 9540A:2026 standard. Both testing agency TÜV Rheinland and the Energy Safety Response Group (ESRG), a fire safety consultant, witnessed and subsequently independently verified the testing process.
Officials from E-STORAGE say the testing standard is “rigorous,” and note that the testing program assesses how energy storage products behave when under extreme fire conditions.
“Passing this large-scale fire test on the first attempt demonstrates the strength of KuBank 3.0’s safety-first design,” says Jeff Roy, president of e-STORAGE. “As safety standards continue to evolve, customers need energy storage solutions that have been validated under the most demanding real-world conditions. This achievement provides greater confidence in the safe deployment of KuBank 3.0 across C&I applications.”
The demanding testing conditions evaluated the KuBank 3.0 while the system was at full charge, with thermal runaway intentionally initiated on the battery system. E-STORAGE also deactivated all fire suppression systems for the duration of the four-hour fire event.
E-STORAGE representatives say no explosion occurred during the testing stage, and the cabinet structured remained completely intact. Additionally, the company says the KuBank 3.0 passed the test on its first attempt, with no fire propagation spreading to neighboring units.
Designing for safety standards
Canadian Solar Inc.’s wider engineering team designed the KuBank 3.0 with rigorous fire safety testing measures in mind, the company says. The 940 kWh battery sits in a single, liquid cooled cabinet and can support flexible architectures of 400 V, 690 V, and 800 V, all offering integrated load connection.
The battery’s intelligent liquid-based cooling system is able to maintain battery temperatures with a deviation of just 3°C or less, company representatives say. In addition, its multi-layer architecture promotes active safety through integrated zone isolation, thermal runaway monitoring, and other protection technologies.
“Designed with an independent physical compartment architecture, high-strength fire-resistant construction, and advanced thermal insulation materials, KuBank 3.0 enhances fire safety performance at the system level,” the company says.
KuBank 3.0 has already entered mass production as of August 2026, and is now available to commercial and industrial battery customers around the world.
