Grid Scale Battery Fires
January 5th, 2026Most new grid scale battery systems are being built with lithium iron phosphate cells which are far safer than nickel manganese cobalt:
Within the lithium-ion sector, a shift towards lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistries has been taking place, particularly in utility-scale deployments. LFP’s market share has grown from 48% in 2021 to an estimated 85% by 2024, driven by their lower costs, higher cycle life, and better security.
Via: Manhattan Contrarian:
It turned out that the big problem was that these facilities were subject to large and dangerous fires on a regular basis. In some cases the same facility would catch fire multiple times. That post reported on major fires in California at a site called Valley Center in San Diego County in September 2023, and at another one called Moss Landing south of San Francisco in September 2022. In January 2025, the Moss Landing facility had another major fire.
Related: What can be learned from grid-scale battery fires?
Research Credit: Brendan
