Huawei Digital Power's Forum on Grid Forming and ESS Safety Promotes Innovative Business Strategies
Huawei Digital Power's Grid Forming & ESS Safety Forum
On June 12, 2025, Huawei Digital Power held the Grid Forming & Energy Storage System (ESS) Safety Forum in Shanghai. This event gathered a diverse audience of customers, partners, insurance companies, and certification organizations from the photovoltaic and ESS sectors. The aim was to discuss and share insights on development trends and applications of grid-forming technology, and to establish safe business practices within the ESS ecosystem.
The forum kicked off with an opening speech by Steven Zhou, President of Smart PV and ESS at Huawei Digital Power. He highlighted how energy storage systems are integral to integrating renewable energy into the grid and ensuring stable grid operation. Zhou pointed out the unique opportunities and challenges that arise as the global energy transformation progresses. Notably, grid-forming ESS technologies have surged in popularity, due to their ability to offer robust support for grid stability, which is essential for the current energy landscape.
A key focus of the forum was the launch of the ESS Safety Initiative by Huawei Digital Power, which aims to elevate the safety standards of ESS systems. This initiative involves collaboration among clients, partners, insurers, and certification entities to create a safer environment for energy storage practices.
The need for stringent safety standards was emphasized, with Huawei outlining four critical safety benchmarks: fire resistance, explosion risk mitigation, fire spread management, and overall system harmlessness. This cell-to-grid (C2G) safety design strategy improves the reliability of energy storage systems, thereby boosting trust and confidence in their deployment across various applications.
During the forum, Robert Liew from Wood Mackenzie and Patrick Zank from VDE shared insights on how grid-forming technology can drive investments in renewable energy. They underlined the necessity of unified standards and market trust in advancing the large-scale adoption of these technologies. Additional presentations covered insights from Vannsith Ith (Schnei Tech) and Billy Qiu (TÜV SÜD), who discussed the first ESS project for the public utility sector in Cambodia. TÜV SÜD’s empirical study on the grid-forming function in a PV+ESS setup, aided by Huawei’s technology, provided a reliable foundation for building a stable and efficient smart grid—a testament to the growing influence of grid-forming technologies in Southeast Asia.
Chen Danqing, Technical Director of Grid-Forming ESS Business at Huawei, highlighted the major technical hurdles facing the commercial deployment of such technologies, including stability during parallel operations, signal damping, and device reliability. Drawing from extensive expertise in photovoltaic and energy storage technology, Huawei introduced the Smart String Grid-Forming ESS, a cutting-edge energy storage system designed to integrate seamlessly with all energy generative processes—from generation to distribution, ensuring reliability and performance throughout their operational life.
Huawei’s innovative safety framework, developed in collaboration with top-tier agencies like DNV, is engineered to elevate the safety of ESS installations. The Smart String Grid-Forming system, rigorously tested, has been successfully implemented in both Qinghai and Xizang projects, evidencing its practicality and effectiveness at the gigawatt scale.
The safety ecosystem for ESS was a pivotal topic, dissected through insights from experts like Chen Weipeng from Munich Re Group and Chen Xiong of TÜV Rheinland China. They underscored a holistic approach to safety that encompasses the entire lifecycle of ESS systems. In addressing potential risks, Huawei has integrated essential features in its battery designs, focusing on thermal stability and hazard mitigation strategies.
The forum also witnessed an analysis of various advanced safety protocols intended to enhance the management of ESS projects. With the goal of visualizing and managing safety metrics throughout the lifecycle of ESS systems, Huawei is set to establish comprehensive safety specifications and risk assessments within its initiatives. This effort aims not only to protect current investments in ES technology but also to lay a solid foundation for sustainable energy futures.
In summary, the discussions held during Huawei Digital Power's Grid Forming & ESS Safety Forum not only underscored the innovative strides in energy storage technology but also illustrated the collaborative effort needed to ensure safety and reliability in this burgeoning sector. Huawei’s commitment to enhancing the safety standards and expanding the utilization of grid-forming ESS further solidifies its role as a leader in the energy transformation landscape.