Australian lithium battery energy storage explosion

How many lithium-ion battery fires have happened in Australia?

This month we have had at least two large lithium-ion battery fires in Australia – one in the Sydney airport car park and another one more recently at the Bouldercombe battery storage site in Queensland. When a lithium-ion battery fire breaks out, the damage can be extensive.

What happened at a lithium battery facility in Queensland?

Australian emergency crews responded to a fire this week at a lithium battery facility in the state of Queensland. The fire is reported to have affected a 40 Tesla Megapack module at the Bouldercombe battery facility, which was in the commissioning stage at the time of the blaze.

What happened at Queensland's first large-scale battery storage site?

A Tesla battery continues to burn at one of Queensland’s first large-scale battery storage sites after it caught fire last night. The fire at Bouldercombe, in central Queensland, was contained to a single battery pack but caused hazardous smoke to spread across the area.

How many fires have lithium batteries caused this year?

So far this year, lithium batteries have caused at least 98 fires, according to data from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES). Last year, the batteries caused 108 fires. An investigation is underway after a blaze at one of Queensland's first large-scale battery storage sites on Tuesday night.

Can lithium batteries cause fires?

The fire at Bouldercombe, in central Queensland, was contained to a single battery pack but caused hazardous smoke to spread across the area. Experts say as use of lithium batteries and large-scale storage sites increase, so too will fires caused by the product.

Why are lithium-ion batteries so common in Australia?

Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly common, in part because they can hold a lot of energy. Lithium-ion batteries are responsible for thousands of fires in Australia per year. (ABC News: Emily Baker )