Finding a safer way to store energy

Lithium-ion (LI) batteries power everything from e-bikes and scooters to electric cars and buses. They have revolutionized personal transport and may be the key to decarbonizing the energy grid.

But the more they latch on, the more they ignite. To underscore this point, when firefighters recently arrested an e-bike dealer in Queens for producing uncertified “Frankenstein” batteries, one of them exploded.

Last year alone, 445 LI battery fires were reported nationwide, with 214 injuries and 38 deaths. New York is ground zero, with 268 battery fires last year, injuring 150 and killing 18. There have been dozens of such incidents this year, including a fire in a six-story building in Harlem where an electric bicycle battery caught fire, killing one person and injuring 17 others.

Meanwhile, global demand for LI batteries is growing rapidly and is expected to grow 570% by 2030, including an estimated $560 billion in new battery installations in the US. These batteries have unrivaled energy density and efficiency, which is why they are also used in “locks”. “the-meter” (BTM) battery energy storage systems for commercial and industrial customers using on-site photovoltaics, and by utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) in which an array of multiple batteries store energy from a plant or grid for later use.

These systems even out peaks and troughs in generation and demand and are increasingly important for grid stability and the operation of renewable energy sources. However, there have also been loud BESS explosions and fires, and a recent study found fire safety problems in more than a quarter of BESS installations.

If this does not change, it can be predicted that as LI batteries scale up, battery fires will also occur. This would result in a decline in public trust in them, which could inhibit the development of local solar and renewable energy sources. We therefore need to solve the problem of battery fires to protect public health and safety, as well as to fight climate change.

This is both a dilemma and an opportunity: to transition away from fossil fuels, we need to scale up battery energy storage systems, but to scale them, we need to solve LI batteries’ inherent problem of runaway heat loss, which can and does cause uncontrolled fires.

We can meet both challenges, but it will require regulation that establishes safety barriers, as well as certification standards, so that compliance requirements and the need to gain consumer trust encourage quality assurance and continuous technological progress. This will lead to certified battery systems and help build confidence in battery storage as a safe, sustainable and economically viable way to transition away from fossil fuels.

Failsafe LI battery technologies already exist today. We need to start using them to identify and certify products that will make BESS installations safer. Certification bodies should test them rigorously, which will break down regulatory overload and help manufacturers meet and even exceed regulatory standards. Those who pass the tests and obtain certification will be able to obtain an expedited permit, enabling a faster and safer transition to renewable energy.

New York and California have taken the first steps on this path by enacting local laws and safety regulations regarding the charging, storage and disposal of LI batteries in e-bikes and other powered mobility devices (PMDs). The New York City Council passed new e-bike regulations to further reduce the risk of battery fires, and New York State passed a law banning the resale of e-bike batteries. A new bill pending in Congress would impose standards that e-bike batteries and other consumer batteries would have to meet, targeting cheap, risky imports from China.

These rules are a start, but e-bikes are just the tip of the iceberg. Instead of a patchwork of regulations across cities and states, we need a comprehensive regulatory system that covers all LI battery applications across the country, from consumer appliances and home energy storage to electric vehicles and commercial applications.

Until this system is in place, we risk more fires, loss of public trust, and even a ban on LI batteries. In fact, some property owners in New York have already started banning electric bikes on their properties, even if their batteries meet safety standards. This type of response could delay or ultimately thwart efforts to decarbonize the transport and energy sectors, making it harder to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Battery fires are the clean energy elephant in the room. The problem can be solved, but it will not go away; requires intervention. The sooner we confront this and establish effective regulation and certification, the sooner battery storage technology can be developed and help usher in a clean energy future.

Williams is the president and CEO of Viridi Parente.