Amid the explosive growth of the global home energy storage market (the global market size exceeded $30 billion in 2024), compliance certification has become the essential "passport" for companies expanding overseas. Among these, the CB Scheme, as the core international mutual recognition system for the safety of electrical products, is key for home energy storage systems to access mainstream markets like Europe, the USA, and Australia. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the CB Scheme for home energy storage systems, covering its essence, core processes, technical requirements, and market value, offering a practical guide for companies to ensure compliance.

1. Understanding the CB Scheme: The "International Safety Credential" for Home Energy Storage

1.1 What is the CB Scheme? Where is its Core Value?
The CB Scheme is a global safety certification system established by IECEE (The IEC System for Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components). It uses unified testing based on IEC International Standards to achieve mutual recognition of certificates among its 54 member countries (including the EU, USA, Japan, etc.). For home energy storage systems, the core value of the CB Scheme is twofold: First, "Cost Reduction and Efficiency" – using a CB Test Report to convert to target market certifications (like CE, UL, SAA) can avoid duplicate testing, shortening the certification cycle by over 40%. Second, "Market Access" – most developed countries regard CB certification as a basic requirement for importing energy storage products. Products without certification face risks such as customs clearance obstacles and market sales bans.

1.2 Core Standards for Home Energy Storage CB Certification
CB Scheme testing strictly follows IEC standards. Addressing the specific nature of home energy storage systems, it primarily covers three categories of standards:

• Battery Safety Standards: Centered on IEC 62619, testing stability under extreme scenarios like cell overcharge, over-discharge, short circuit, and crush, requiring the Battery Management System (BMS) to have millisecond-level protection response.

• Electrical Safety Standards: Include IEC 61010 (safety of measuring and control equipment) and IEC 62368 (safety of audio/video and IT equipment), focusing on verifying product ground continuity, insulation resistance, and withstand voltage performance.

• Electromagnetic Compatibility Standards: Based on the IEC 61000 series, controlling the product's electromagnetic emissions and immunity during operation to prevent interference with sensitive devices like home routers and medical equipment.

2. The Complete CB Certification Process for Home Energy Storage: 6 Steps from Application to Certification

The CB Scheme process involves coordinating company preparation, laboratory testing, and certificate issuance. The total timeline is typically 4-6 weeks. The specific steps are as follows:

2.1 Preparation: Ensuring Compliance for Both Documents and Samples
Companies need to prepare two types of core materials in advance:

1. Technical Files: Including product circuit diagrams, exploded views, user manuals (multi-language), and a list of critical components (cells, inverters require third-party certification reports).

2. Test Samples: Typically, 3-5 finished products are required, with 2 units used for destructive testing and 1 kept by the laboratory for filing. Samples must be identical to the mass production version to avoid test failure due to "sample vs. product mismatch."

2.2 Laboratory Testing: Multi-dimensional Verification of Safety Performance
An IECEE-recognized CBTL (CB Testing Laboratory) conducts full-item testing according to the standards. Core test items include:

• Safety Performance Tests: Over-temperature protection test (simulating thermal runaway scenarios), electric shock protection test (enclosure protection rating must reach at least IP54), mechanical strength test (drop, vibration to verify structural stability).

• Performance Reliability Tests: Charge-discharge cycle test (≥3000 cycles with capacity retention rate ≥80%), high/low-temperature environment test (operational stability from -20°C to 55°C).

• Electromagnetic Compatibility Tests: Conducted disturbance test (controlling power line interference), radiated disturbance test (radiated values in the 30MHz-1GHz band ≤40dBμV/m).

If non-conformities arise during testing, the laboratory will provide improvement suggestions (e.g., optimizing BMS algorithms, replacing flame-retardant materials). Companies can apply for re-testing after implementing the improvements.

2.3 Certificate Issuance and Conversion: Opening the Global Market Channel
After passing the tests, the CBTL issues a CB Test Report, which is then reviewed by an IECEE-recognized NCB (National Certification Body) before the CB Certificate is issued. Companies can use this certificate to quickly convert to target market certifications: For the EU, it can directly link to CE-LVD/EMC certification, often only requiring supplementary EU deviation tests; for the US, it can connect to UL 1741-SA certification, saving over 50% in testing costs; for Australia, it can be directly converted to AS/NZS 4509.2 certification without repeating core safety tests.

3. Core Technical Challenges in CB Certification: Special Requirements for Home Use Scenarios

Compared to industrial-grade energy storage products, CB certification for home energy storage systems focuses more on the "home use scenario," presenting three major technical challenges to overcome:

3.1 Anti-touch and Safety Protection Design
Due to the high risk of children's access in home environments, CB certification requires products to meet "child anti-touch" design: charging ports must use a fault-insertion prevention structure, shell edges must have a radius ≥ R3mm, battery compartment doors must use latches that only adults can open, and the shell flame retardancy rating must reach UL94 V-0 to prevent fire hazards.

3.2 Grid-connection Safety and Anti-Islanding Protection
Some home energy storage systems need to operate connected to photovoltaic systems and the power grid. CB certification mandatorily requires products to have "anti-islanding protection" functionality – when the grid power fails, the system must automatically disconnect from the grid within 0.2 seconds to prevent reverse power feed that could electrocute grid maintenance personnel. This function must be verified using specialized simulation test equipment.

3.3 Energy Efficiency and Environmental Compliance
Driven by global low-carbon policies, CB certification now includes energy efficiency assessment: the comprehensive charge-discharge efficiency of home energy storage systems must be ≥90%, and the cycle life must meet the requirement of over 3000 cycles per the IEC 62619 standard. Simultaneously, compliance with restrictions on hazardous substances per EU RoHS 2.0 and REACH regulations is required, with lead and mercury content in battery cells not exceeding 0.1%.

4. The Market Value of CB Certification: Core Competitiveness for Home Energy Storage Companies

4.1 Breaking Trade Barriers and Capturing Mainstream Markets
Taking European and American markets as examples, Germany's Energiewende energy transition plan and the US California Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) both use CB certification as a fundamental entry requirement for products. Data from a Pearl River Delta energy storage company shows that after obtaining CB certification, the certification cycle for their products entering the European market shortened from 6 months to 2 months, and order volume increased by 40%.

4.2 Enhancing Brand Trust and Strengthening End-Market Competitiveness
The CB mark is an important indicator for consumers to identify product safety. On major e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Home Depot, home energy storage products bearing the CB mark saw an average search ranking increase of 30% and a user conversion rate increase of 25%. Furthermore, the technical improvement suggestions provided by laboratories during the certification process can help companies optimize product design and reduce post-sales failure risks.