Why the A123 Systems battery explosion in the test lab in MI is a good thing

I think another market exists for the A123 Systems, Inc. lithium ion battery power plant packs that are used to power electric vehicles.  If you didn't already hear about the explosion in the lab in MI, you may as well hear about it here.  While many may see the explosion (and I should mention an employee was injured, which is awful news) as a major setback, I see a major advancement in the safety of the technology coming from what is learned from such tests.  The company must have built these test facilities to put the battery power plant under incredible stresses to simulate operating in extreme environments of a vehicle, and determined that a recall was in order to protect from a faulty housing that causes volatile gases to leak out and ignite which caused the explosion according to news reports published last week.   While the battery maker's market is clearly electric vehicles, the industrial application of lithium-ion based power packs installed into a safer housing units in buildings, sheds, or on homes could be a viable solution to the noisy standby generator market as well.  This welcome capability puts the promise of solar energy even more closer to home for all of us with noisy gasoline powered generators that deliver cheap and reliable back up power.  Such a solution makes solar energy an even more viable option. 

While this technology is clearly in early stages of development, solar companies are said to be experimenting with different battery back up systems as an interesting alternative to the noisy standby gasoline, natural gas/propane or diesel back up generators that many businesses and homes currently use as standby backups.   I'm convinced we are that much closer to having safe continuous power at home from the technology offered by A123 Systems, Inc.

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