Battery Technology
Lithium-ion risks
Thermal runaway is an uncontrolled temperature rise inside a battery cell that feeds itself. Once one cell goes, it can cascade through an entire container. The process generates large volumes of flammable and toxic gas.
Incidents
| Date | Facility | Capacity | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2019 | McMicken, AZ | 2 MW | Explosion injured 8 firefighters |
| May 2024 | Gateway, San Diego | 250 MW | Burned 11 days, EPA-ordered cleanup |
| Jan 2025 | Moss Landing, CA | 300 MW | 1,200–1,500 evacuated, largest EPA lithium-ion cleanup in history |
What comes out of a lithium-ion battery fire
- Hydrogen fluoride (HF): 20–200 mg per Wh of capacity. Causes deep tissue burns and pulmonary edema.
- Heavy metals: Researchers at Moss Landing found nickel, manganese, and cobalt in surrounding soil and wetlands at 10–1,000x pre-fire levels.
- PFAS: A 2025 study found per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in lithium-ion battery fire soot.
- Carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, sulfur dioxide, and various volatile organic compounds.
Reignition
These fires come back. Undamaged cells in a partially burned facility still hold energy, and that energy can reignite days or weeks later. Gateway reignited repeatedly over 11 days.
Why this site is different
The Snoqualmie Valley is ridge-bounded. Temperature inversions in western Washington valleys can trap smoke and gas close to the ground — nothing like a coastal site such as Moss Landing where wind disperses emissions.
Fisher Creek runs through the parcel with an unmapped floodplain less than 10 vertical feet from the development area. Contaminated firefighting runoff would reach the creek.
Snoqualmie Ridge has limited ways out: Snoqualmie Parkway and SR-18. Moss Landing evacuated 1,200–1,500 people. Snoqualmie Ridge is bigger.
Sodium-ion
| Technology | Fire Risk | Toxic Emissions | Noise | Grid-Scale Ready? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lithium-ion (NMC) | High | High (HF, heavy metals) | High (active cooling 24/7) | Yes |
| Lithium-ion (LFP) | Moderate | Moderate (HF still produced) | High (active cooling 24/7) | Yes |
| Sodium-ion | Very low | Low (no heavy metals, no HF) | Low (passive cooling) | 2026–2027 |
Abuse testing
Sodium-ion cells have been tested under the same mechanical abuse conditions that cause lithium-ion cells to catch fire — and they don’t ignite:
- Nail penetration: CATL publicly demonstrated nail penetration, drill, and metal saw tests on sodium-ion packs without ignition. In comparative testing, sodium-ion shows a 0% ignition rate vs. 23% for lithium-ion, where 85% of cells exceeded 200°C.
- Crush testing: Cells remain stable under mechanical compression — no thermal runaway, no fire.
- UL 9540A: Natron Energy was the first sodium-ion company to publish full UL 9540A results — cells passed without needing additional safety controls.
Peak Energy NFPP (Non-Flammable Prussian Blue)
- No thermal runaway in nail penetration, overcharge, or crush testing
- Non-flammable electrolyte
- Passive cooling — no fans, no HVAC, no noise
- No cobalt, nickel, or manganese — no hydrofluoric acid
- Targeting cost parity with LFP
- Commercial scale 2026–2027
Jupiter Power signed a $500M / 4.75 GWh deal with Peak Energy for this technology. Their CTO called it a “potential game changer.”
The Cascadia Ridge facility won’t be online until late 2028 — well after sodium-ion is commercially available. So why isn’t Jupiter Power using it here?