This is info relevant to the May 27 front-page article, “Battery energy storage safety draws questions.”
Solar battery storage is crucial for replacing fossil fuels that contribute to global climate change. This electrical storage keeps the lights on when the sun is not shining (e.g., at night).
Solar storage is now safe. This safety stems from recent technology improvements that include low flammability batteries and improved fire prevention. Low flammability batteries that use Lithium Iron Phosphate have replaced highly flammable Nickel Manganese Cobalt batteries. The improvements also include better monitoring of possible issues and compartmentalization of small groups of batteries. Those prevent fires from starting and from spreading throughout the storage systems.
The rates of battery fires dropped from 9% per year per gigawatt hour in 2018 to 0.2% per year in 2024 (50x lower). That low rate matches the low rate of 0.2% per year of residential house fires.
Thus, people no longer need be worried about solar battery storage fires. Gone are the days of the frequent battery storage fires.
R. Kent Koeninger
Greenfield