Data Center Battery Rules Vary by Country; Americase and OCP Experts Address Compliance Gap

Americase International will address the complexities of international data center battery regulations at the OCP Global Summit in San Jose. A panel on October 15 aims to clarify compliance issues that arise from differing rules across countries and jurisdictions, impacting data center operators.

The need for consistent regulations governing the shipping, installation, storage, and disposal of lithium batteries in data centers has become critical, amplified by the growing demand for battery energy storage systems (ESS) driven by AI. Regulatory ambiguities can lead to delays and safety risks, as seen in a September 2025 data center battery fire in South Korea that disrupted numerous government IT systems.

The panel, "The Compliance Gap: ESS Safety in the Age of AI Infrastructure," will delve into findings from the Open Compute Project's white paper, "Requirements for Energy Storage Systems Used in Data Centers," published in January 2026. This paper compiles worldwide codes and standards applicable to energy storage in hyperscale and AI data centers.

Mike Pagel, Senior Consultant at HazMat Safety Consulting, an Americase International company and a contributing author of the white paper, will join Joel Chakkalakal, Director of Data Centers and Sustainability at Americase International. Their objective is to provide clear, actionable guidance for operators, helping them identify and mitigate risks associated with regulatory discrepancies.