Episode
Lithium-ion batteries: How research is confronting the risks
- Podcast
- Sound Policy
- Published
- Dec 8, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 1303
- Processing state
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Summary
Lithium-ion batteries have become commonplace in our lives. They’re in things as small as a smartwatch to as large as an electric car. And they're quickly becoming a crucial part of our businesses, too, from data centers to renewable energy to robotics. But as many benefits as these batteries have, they have a pretty big drawback: They sometimes catch fire or explode. When lithium batteries get damaged or get hot, they enter "thermal runaway," a chain reaction that can lead to fires and explosions. So to understand the risk from this new technology, FM's experts have been studying these batteries—putting them through the paces, even setting them on fire, all in the name of research. On this episode of Sound Policy, we sat down with Stephanie Thomas, senior staff engineering specialist, and Ben Ditch, principal research engineer. Thomas wrote a recently-released data sheet on the storage and manufacturing of lithium-ion battery hazards. FM’s Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets help reduce risk at facilities with engineering guidelines and exacting standards. Ditch is a researcher at FM who, along with his colleagues, has tested numerous lithium-ion batteries—from the cellular level to the large-scale burn lab. More resources: FM property loss preventiondata sheets Lithium-ionbattery hazards: FM releases first-ever comprehensive guidance Whythis technology is a ‘big deal’ for data centers, battery energy storagesystems and more