Clara Harter of the Los Angeles Times reports that lithium-ion battery fires are causing dangers on California freeways, and have sparked calls for safety improvements. Harter writes:
For more than two days, a vital shipping passageway in the Port of L.A. was shut down, and the cause was surprising to some. A big rig overturned, sparking a fierce lithium-ion battery blaze that spewed toxic gases, snarled port traffic and resulted in what one official said was massive economic losses from delayed shipments.
The incident focused new attention, and fears, on the fuel cells helping drive the state’s clean energy transition.
But how dangerous are these batteries really? And should you be scared of your e-bike, vape pen or electric car? […]
Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in portable electronic devices and electric vehicles, including cellphones, e-bikes, laptops, wireless headphones, scooters, trucks and cars.
Fires can be caused by overcharging, overheating, physical damage or product defects, which trigger a process known as thermal runaway — where excessive heat inside a battery creates a self-sustaining chemical reaction that can then easily spread to adjacent batteries.
The best way to stay safe is to purchase devices only from reputable manufacturers, store them in a cool, dry place and use a charger with the correct voltage, Rezende said. […]
Fueled in part by a desire to transition away from fossil fuels, the use of lithium-ion batteries has skyrocketed over the last two decades — but so too has the number of battery fires and, as a result, the number of people calling for safety solutions.
In San Diego, Rezende says his department responds to an average of two to three lithium-ion battery fires a week. After the Otay Mesa incident, he took on a newly created role, studying how best to respond to lithium-ion fires and other alternative-energy safety risks. […]
But with a combination of improved technology, new regulations and more fire department education, he believes California can meet the challenge of safely managing these powerful batteries.
Read more here.
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