Li-ion battery energy storage system at a renewable energy power plant

Electrochemical Safety Research Institute

We conduct fundamental scientific research to understand the safety and performance of energy technologies.

Through our discovery-driven research, we innovate, test, model, and lay the foundation for electrochemical energy storage that is reliable and safe.

In recent years, renewable energy technologies have emerged as one of the highest priority solutions to climate change. But they also present very real risks; for example, key chemicals inside lithium-ion batteries pose life-threatening harm if they aren’t manufactured, stored, and recycled correctly. Our scientists explore the safety and performance limits of storage batteries and other renewable energy technologies and investigate how we can overcome those limits safely.

Our scientific research helps everyone in the energy storage and battery value chain ─ from cell and battery manufacturers, suppliers, original equipment manufacturers, recyclers, shippers, and consumers ─ understand the various safety issues associated with batteries in various applications, including electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems. Knowledge and awareness about potential hazards associated with cell and battery materials, components, and end-user devices and systems, helps in minimizing risks and promotes adoption of best practices to improve safety.

As our team works to advance safer energy storage through science, close collaboration with experts and like-minded partners in electrochemical safety research is essential if we are to address pressing global safety challenges and make progress toward a safer, more sustainable world.
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Learn more about the Electrochemical Safety Research Institute.
Battery Pack

Collaborating to meet the world’s energy safety needs

In addition to publishing academic research and disseminating information at conferences and through digital channels, we convene diverse stakeholders to find solutions.

This includes global battery summits and the Battery Safety Council, an organization we co-lead with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The Electrochemical Safety Research Institute also works with UL Standards & Engagement to develop standards that factor in the most current safety and performance data.

Battery Safety

Science for safer energy designs

UL Research Institutes' focus on electrochemical safety serves our mission by conducting research and sharing data-driven knowledge to drive safe, reliable, and innovative designs to meet the world’s increasing energy demands.

UL Research Institutes conduct original scientific research and release information and reports for the benefit of public and private stakeholders.

Initiatives

The electrochemical safety team carries out research on cells and batteries to advance safer energy storage through science. Our current focus is on the lithium-ion battery chemistry and the issues that exist with this chemistry. We collaborate with academia, national labs and other organizations in the private and government sectors to conduct such studies and build synergies.

We share research insights through journal publications, conference presentations, white papers, newsletter articles, infographics and videos to promote safer energy storage solutions in applications from consumer electronics to very large stationary systems.  

We convene stakeholder engagements in the form of webinars, council meetings and summits to share data-driven knowledge. These interventions help in assimilating global views and expertise on advances in research and innovations in the energy storage space.

Our interventions support the development of new and revision of existing safety standards to meet the world’s increasing energy demands.   

Library

Explore our repository of reports, publications and videos on electrochemical safety science.

News

Stay updated about our initiatives and programs designed to advance a safe, secure and sustainable energy storage ecosystem across the globe.

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Events

We convene Battery Safety Council meetings, Battery Safety Summits and the Battery Safety Science Webinar Series to bring together subject matter experts, scientists, industry, government and technical professionals to share insights on new research and innovations and disseminate knowledge regarding lessons learned to benefit public safety. View our upcoming events below and learn more about our past events.