KB News Desk
Fears grow over everyday use of batteries containing lithium
By Park Jae-hyuk
Battery manufacturers are facing growing calls to make safer products, as a local lithium battery plant fire killed 23 people and injured eight on Monday, according to industry officials, Tuesday.
In response to mounting concerns over the safety of batteries, LG, Samsung and SK are ramping up efforts to develop all-solid-state and various other types of next-generation fire and explosion-proof batteries. The government also vowed in March to invest 117.2 billion won ($84 million) over the next five years in the development of all-solid-state and other types of next-generation batteries.
Although single-use lithium batteries are considered to have caused the deadly fire at Aricell’s lithium battery plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, concerns are lingering among consumers over the safety of rechargeable batteries used for electric vehicles (EVs), mobile phones, laptops and energy storage systems (ESS), because they also contain lithium for higher energy densities.
“The recent fire is triggering concerns as it broke out from an electric energy facility, which has become more important amid the climate crisis,” Rep. Lim Lee-ja of the ruling People Power Party said at a press conference. “There has yet to be a specified way of extinguishing EV fires.”
Zeng Yuqun, chairman of Chinese EV battery firm CATL, even talked about the accident during his participation in the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of New Champions to urge global battery firms to focus more on quality and safety than price.
In 2022, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries were mentioned as the main cause of a large fire at SK C&C’s data center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, which led to the worst-ever disruptions to Kakao’s services.
The batteries were also regarded as obstacles to extinguish the fire, as they caused thermal runaway.
Thermal runaway refers to a process that is accelerated by increased temperature, in turn releasing energy that further increases temperature. Under this situation, spraying water on flames can further increase a battery fire’s temperature and cause the emission of poisonous gases.
“Lithium-ion batteries use liquid as an electrolyte, so temperature changes can make them swell and external impacts can ignite them,” a Samsung SDI official said. “In contrast, all-solid-state batteries using a solid-state electrolyte can reduce the risks of fire and explosion.”
Samsung SDI aims to start the mass production of all-solid-state batteries in 2027. SK On and LG Energy Solution seek to do so in 2029 and 2030, respectively.
Given that it will take several years for everyday use of such batteries, however, the government decided to send its senior officials not only to primary battery plants, but also to secondary battery factories, ESS makers and data centers nationwide to inspect their safety.
Municipalities have also been carrying out emergency safety inspections of rechargeable battery plants located in their regions.
