The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has released new guidelines for battery management systems (BMS) used in stationary energy storage applications. On February 7, 2025, the organization approved the document titled 2686-2024 IEEE Recommended Practice for Battery Management Systems in Stationary Energy Storage Applications.
This document outlines the design, configuration, and interoperability of BMS equipment, defining the BMS—which consists of both software and hardware components—as a functionally distinct component of a battery energy storage system (BESS). It provides recommendations for configuring BMS to safeguard various battery types utilized in different applications. Key areas covered include peripheral devices for battery management, balancing methods, sensor placement, as well as hardware and software architectures.
The initiative was spearheaded by the IEEE’s Energy Storage & Stationary Battery Committee, under the leadership of David Rosewater, a senior technical staff member at Sandia National Laboratories. This project commenced in 2018, reflecting the institute’s recognition of the critical role battery management plays in ensuring the safety and longevity of batteries used in stationary applications. Rosewater remarked on LinkedIn that the recommended practice is a transformative document that “will have a large impact on how battery management systems are designed and configured from here into the future.”
The BMS is often referred to as the “brain of the battery.” In a 2021 article from the quarterly journal PV Tech Power, authors from the UK-based BMS provider Brill Power described the fundamental functions of a BMS, emphasizing its role in maintaining the balance and safety of battery cells. The BMS is essential for balancing the numerous cells in a system, which may possess slightly different capacities and resistances. Over time, these discrepancies can increase as cells degrade at varying rates, necessitating regular balancing to prevent voltages from diverging to the point where the battery’s capacity becomes unusable.
Additionally, BMS technologies enhance safety by keeping cells within safe operating limits for temperature, voltage, and current, thus preventing overcharging and other potentially damaging conditions. They also provide estimates of available energy and power by monitoring key parameters such as temperature, voltage, and current.
The new IEEE recommended practice addresses BESS in both grid-connected and off-grid scenarios and includes specific recommendations for four types of batteries: lithium-ion, flow, sodium-β, and alkaline zinc-manganese. It also offers general guidance for other battery types. The document provides insights on interoperability, including minimum measurement accuracy and state-of-charge reporting standards, as well as communications protocols such as error reporting and cybersecurity measures, including software update management.
The recommended practice is accessible on the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) website, where it is part of a broader collection of standards adopted globally across various industries.
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