Viridi sets batteries on fire in live demo to prove BESS safety merits
Battery energy storage systems (BESS) manufacturer Viridi feels confident about the safety of their BESS. So confident they hosted a live event to set their batteries on fire for attendees to watch.
Lithium-ion battery fires are trending up, but most of these are related to e-bikes and cheap, unlisted batteries. UL 9540-listed lithium-ion batteries that have undergone 9540A testing to demonstrate how they respond when forced into thermal runaway, have a long track record of solid performance and safety. We discussed this on an episode of The Buzz, with Jeff Spies, president of Planet Plan Sets:
Viridi’s BESS has similarly withstood thermal challenges without flame propagation.
Still, some jurisdictions and fire departments want to see more BESS undergo straight up fire testing. Hosted in part with the Soteria Battery Innovation Group, Viridi obliged with this event, which featured a series of live battery burn demonstrations, keynote addresses from the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) safety experts, hands-on tours, and deep dives into next-generation anti-propagation battery technologies designed to eliminate thermal runaway.
“Today wasn’t just about showing what’s possible—it was about proving it,” said Jon M. Williams, CEO of Viridi. “These tests show the power of our design in limiting thermal events to a single point of origin. We’re setting a new standard for battery safety that allows clean energy to scale—safely and without compromise. If you want to bring storage into dense, occupied spaces, this is how you do it—without shortcuts.”
About Viridi BESS
Unlike conventional systems, Viridi’s solution requires no additional HVAC, fire suppression, or construction retrofits—a breakthrough for both cost and code compliance. Viridi’s commercial-scale BESS is among the first and only to be installed in an existing, occupied space. The BESS combines advanced AI and connectivity to deliver new results for remote monitoring and energy optimization.
Viridi live burn tests
Tests 1 & 2 – Conventional Packs: Two standard battery packs without anti-propagation features were intentionally pushed into thermal runaway. As expected, the initial failure triggered cell-to-cell propagation, resulting in heat spreading throughout the entire module.
Test 3 – Viridi-Engineered Pack: Viridi triggered the same failure in one of its own packs—engineered with proprietary thermal isolation and anti-propagation barriers. The result: complete containment. The incident remained isolated to a single cell with no secondary reactions, validating Viridi’s passive safety architecture.
“Viridi’s technology is a game-changer,” said Brian Morin, CEO of Soteria Battery Innovation Group. “Battery fires are rare, but they are also unpredictable, immediate and ferocious, which carries significant risk. Their technology dramatically reduces the risk profile, giving us a path to much safer energy storage for all the applications that improve our daily lives.”
“When it comes to battery fires, every second counts—and every layer of safety matters,” said Lt. John Cassidy of the FDNY. “I’m glad to support the safety and education of first responders by sharing my experience responding to lithium-ion battery incidents in New York City.”
