‘Bombs’ are designed to store and quickly release copious amounts of energy, so are the mega-batteries said to save wind and solar from their hopeless intermittency.
The notion is that giant lithium-ion batteries will quell the power delivery chaos that comes with attempting to rely wholly weather-dependent wind power and wholly sunshine-dependent solar power; thereby bringing stability and security to plenty a power grid teetering on the brink of collapse, all the consequence of our “inevitable transition” away from reliable and dependable power generation sources, like coal and gas.
But there’s nothing ‘stable and secure’ about lithium batteries.
As Samsung mobile phone owners are painfully aware, lithium batteries have a horrifying habit of spontaneous ignition. STT has fond memories of watching fellow airline passengers being berated for having a Samsung 7 in their pocket.
And there have been plenty of incidents where the lithium batteries in Tesla’s electric cars have exploded in flames.
Now, it’s grid-scale explosions and conflagrations that we need to be concerned about, not just the odd exploding Telsa S and Samsung 7.
Here’s a little saga from the land Downunder, where a giant Tesla decided to release a whole of ‘wonderful green’ energy in a furious hurry.
Crews battle Tesla battery fire at Moorabool, near Geelong
ABC
Leanne Wong
30 July 2021
A toxic blaze at the site of Australia’s largest Tesla battery project is set to burn throughout the night.
The fire broke out during testing of a Tesla megapack at the Victorian Big Battery site near Geelong.
A 13-tonne lithium battery was engulfed in flames, which then spread to an adjacent battery bank.
More than 150 people from Fire Rescue Victoria and the Country Fire Authority responded to the blaze, which has been contained and will be closely monitored until it burns itself out.
“If we try and cool them down it just prolongs the process,” the CFA’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer Ian Beswicke said.
“But we could be here anywhere from 8 to 24 hours while we wait for it to burn down.”
The Tesla battery is expected to become the largest battery (or bomb) in the southern hemisphere as part of a Victorian Government push to transition to renewable energy.
Ambulance Victoria members are also on site monitoring the health of firefighters.
A toxic smoke warning has been issued near Geelong.
Residents have been warned to close windows, close fireplace flues and bring their pets inside in the Batesford, Bell Post Hill, Lovely Banks and Moorabool areas.
No-one was injured and the site has been evacuated.
Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) said the battery had been isolated and disconnected from the main electricity grid and “there are no implications” for supply.
The Tesla battery was paid for by renewable energy company Neoen.
Neoen Australia’s Managing Director, Louis de Sambucy said Neoen and Tesla were working closely with emergency services on site to manage the situation.
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