Battery safety and the energy transition: three critical challenges to support success
Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Megan Hine, Energy Transition Safety Lead, Draeger Safety UK, the global safety and medical technology leader
In a world that is progressively moving away from legacy fuels, lithium-ion batteries are becoming an increasingly popular option for energy storage, offering significant potential to support net zero goals.
However, central to the success of lithium-ion innovation, and therefore to the ultimate end goal of meeting environmental targets, is the prioritisation of safety in the battery cell industry. Without comprehensive safety procedures in place, there is a very real risk of setbacks, particularly in investment.
Dräger has identified three key safety areas which we believe must be addressed as production and development of new lithium-ion battery technology – and indeed broader energy transition industries – increases to meet demand.
1. Challenge perceptions – While many people view green energy and the wider energy transition industries as ‘clean, green and safe’, the reality is that in many respects the safety risks involved in energy transition industries, including battery cell production, are not vastly dissimilar to those faced in other legacy fuel industries.
It is telling that research published earlier this year by the insurance company Aviva found that more than half of the companies (54%) had experienced an incident linked to lithium-ion batteries, including fires and explosions, indicating that safety measures are not always implemented[1].
So, whilst most people would agree that a move away from a carbon-based economy should be carried out as quickly as possible, crucially this must not be at the expense of safety. To do so risks setbacks which have the potential to harm the overall end goal of protecting the planet for future generations.
2. Put safety first – The safety industry has a key role to play in communicating the need for rigorous safety standards, not only in production of batteries, but also in their use, application and during the end-of-life disposal which will include disassembling, transporting and recycling, all of which pose further risks which must be assessed and managed.
The success of new energy innovations such as the increased use of battery cells, will be highly dependent on confidence and trust in the industry. Having comprehensive safety measures in place is a vital component to building and maintaining public trust, and to ensuring that it is seen as a safe and dependable technology for the future. Recent safety incidents have already eroded this trust, as seen in the Kilwinning battery recycling plant[2], which is extremely damaging and risks consequences for future investment.
3. Boost research & development (R&D) collaboration – With a growing emphasis on the need for innovation to help reduce the global reliance on fossil-fuels, it’s vital to recognise the importance of partnering and collaborating with those at the forefront of research in the clean energy space.
For example, Dr Wojciech Mrozik is working with colleagues at Newcastle University to identify and mitigate safety and environmental risks of lithium-ion batteries as part of the Faraday Institution’s SafeBatt project. Last year Drager took part in this research with Dr Mrozik and his team, setting up a temporary wireless gas detection system to determine the effectiveness of different extinguishing techniques on battery fires. Wireless technology means that the gas readings could be viewed instantly, from a safe distance, in the control room. The solution, a fixed gas detection controller integrated into a Peliäcase, paired with secure wireless, battery-powered detectors, was ideally suited to the temporary nature of the tests.
This research will be used to reshape the future of battery safety in electric vehicles (EVs), demonstrating the significance of collaboration between industry and academia. These partnerships encourage new thinking, often through highly interdisciplinary and disruptive solutions – something that is not necessarily as easy to do, or indeed possible to do, solely in an industry setting.
Ultimately, the bottom line is that if lithium-Ion battery production does not get safety right first time, incidents such as the recent spate of highly publicised battery-related fires, are likely to lead to difficulty getting planning permission, insurance, investment and public backing.
Safety does not need to hinder progress or delay deployment, indeed quite the opposite: Getting safety right will – ultimately – speed things up and play a key part on achieving targets and timeframes. Within this process, industry-wide collaboration will be fundamental to ensuring that battery innovation not only drives the energy transition, but does so in a way which is safe, sustainable and successful.
For information on Lithium-Ion battery safety: https://www.draeger.com/en_uk/Safety/Clean-Energy-Solutions/Lithium-Ion-Battery-Safety