Latest news with #UN38.3
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
UNIGRID Battery Awarded California Energy Commission RAMP Grant to Launch Advanced Sodium-Ion Battery Production in the U.S.
SAN DIEGO, June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- UNIGRID, Inc. announced it has been awarded a competitive grant under the California Energy Commission's (CEC) Realizing Accelerated Manufacturing and Production for Clean Energy Technologies (RAMP) program. The project, titled "Advanced Sodium-ion Battery Production in California", will enable UNIGRID to establish a dedicated battery pilot production facility in San Diego, capable of producing MWh-scale quantities of sodium-ion battery cells annually. The $2.9M award will support the design, build-out, and validation of UNIGRID's Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) line at a new 12,000 square foot facility in Sorrento Valley, San Diego. UNIGRID's advanced sodium-ion battery technology features: An Ultra-safe chemistry: Passed UN 38.3 and UL 9540A at the cell level — a rare achievement in energy storage. A wide operating temperature: Capable of operating continuously between -40°C and 60°C. Long cycle & calendar life: Operation up to 10,000 cycles at 100% DoD. No critical materials: No lithium, nickel, cobalt or copper. High Power capabilities: 15 minute charge & 5 minute discharge rates. "This RAMP award is a major step forward—not just for UNIGRID, but for the future of safe, sustainable, and affordable energy storage in California," said Erik A. Wu, CTO at UNIGRID and Principal Investigator of the award. "We are grateful to the CEC for recognizing the value of our technology and supporting our mission to bring next-generation sodium-ion batteries to market." As energy demands continue to rise, UNIGRID's sodium-ion batteries offer a compelling alternative for grid resilience and distributed energy storage without the safety and supply chain risks of lithium-ion. For more information about UNIGRID, Inc. and its advanced battery technology, please visit About UNIGRID, Inc. UNIGRID Inc., a University of California, San Diego spin-off company, was founded in 2021 from the groundbreaking Ph.D. research work by Dr. Darren H. S. Tan and Dr. Erik A. Wu. UNIGRID, Inc. develops safe, low-cost, advanced sodium-ion batteries to power energy storage and electric mobility applications. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Unigrid / Biocom Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
New Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Experts warn of fire risk from cheap power banks
KUALA LUMPUR: Low-quality power banks pose a serious risk to users as they are more prone to overheating, which can lead to fires or even explosions, warns an expert. Electrical engineer Associate Professor Dr Mohamad Fahmi Hussin said low-quality power banks, which are cheap and easily available, are characterised by poor internal design, reused battery cells and a lack of safety mechanisms. Fahmi, a senior lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara's (UiTM) Faculty of Electrical Engineering, said such devices often lack battery management systems, which are crucial for preventing overheating, overcharging and short circuits. "Without a battery management system, lithium-ion cells can enter thermal runaway — an uncontrolled, self-heating process that can lead to fires or explosions," he said. Fahmi added that some manufacturers use recycled or second-hand cells salvaged from discarded laptops or e-bikes. These cells degrade over time and may develop hidden internal faults. "No amount of circuitry can fully compensate for a poor-quality cell. "Such deterioration may not be visible externally, but it increases the risk of internal short circuits, thermal runaway, or unpredictable charging behaviour." Fahmi also said that placing power banks in enclosed spaces such as handbags or glove compartments may expose them to heat stress, especially if they lack effective temperature cut-offs. Universiti Malaya's Centre for Ionics physicist Dr Mohd Zieauddin Kufian said leaking battery electrolyte from degraded cells could ignite when exposed to air or moisture. "Low-end units may not tolerate high temperatures. In a hot car, battery swelling or leakage could lead to chemical fires or small explosions," he said. Zieauddin added that many cheap power banks carry fake capacity labels, with some units delivering less than half of their advertised output. He urged regulators to mandate certification and adopt recognized safety standards. These include MS IEC 62133, which tests battery design to prevent overheating and internal faults, and UN 38.3, which ensures batteries are safe for storage and transport under conditions of pressure, heat, and impact. To combat counterfeit safety markings, Zieauddin proposed a mobile verification system using QR codes linked to a central certification database. "This step can help prevent users from being deceived by fake certification labels and provide quick access to authentic information regarding product safety," he said.
