Fire Safety and Risk Management in Emerging New Energy Systems

Dear Colleagues,

The transition toward sustainable energy has accelerated the adoption of emerging technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs), battery energy storage systems (BESS), hydrogen energy, and renewable energy infrastructures, including solar and wind power. These innovations are central to achieving global carbon neutrality goals and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. However, the integration of these technologies introduces new and complex fire hazards that differ fundamentally from those in conventional energy systems, posing significant safety challenges to both industry and society.

Lithium-ion batteries, widely used in EVs and BESS, are prone to thermal runaway, a chain reaction that can result in high-intensity fires, explosions, and toxic emissions. Hydrogen, as a clean energy carrier, presents risks associated with high-pressure storage, rapid diffusion, and invisible flames. Meanwhile, photovoltaic and wind energy installations face fire risks linked to electrical faults, combustible materials, and exposure to harsh environments. These scenarios involve intricate thermal, chemical, and electrochemical processes that demand deeper scientific investigation.

Recent high-profile incidents—such as those caused by EV battery fires, BESS explosions, and hydrogen station accidents—have underscored the urgency of advancing fire safety research in the new energy sector. Traditional fire suppression techniques, detection systems, and safety standards are often inadequate to address the unique fire dynamics of these systems. Moreover, the expansion of these technologies into urban and residential environments amplifies the risks and consequences of fire-related events.

To ensure the safe and sustainable deployment of new energy systems, it is critical to advance our understanding of fire behavior, ignition mechanisms, propagation pathways, and suppression strategies. This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research on fire safety science, risk management, and regulatory development, providing a platform to foster innovation and guide the design of resilient, fire-safe new energy technologies for real-world applications.

This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for researchers, engineers, and industry practitioners to share recent advances, experimental findings, modeling approaches, and practical solutions related to fire safety in emerging new energy systems. Contributions addressing fundamental fire science, fire detection and suppression technologies, risk assessment frameworks, and regulatory strategies are particularly encouraged.

We welcome both original research articles and comprehensive reviews that advance the understanding of fire risks and safety management in new energy applications, with the ultimate goal of promoting safer, more sustainable deployment of these technologies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Fire hazards, ignition mechanisms, and combustion characteristics of lithium-ion batteries and battery energy storage systems (BESS)
• Fire dynamics, suppression, and mitigation strategies in electric vehicles (EVs)
• Thermal runaway propagation, explosion risks, and fire modeling of battery modules/packs
• Fire safety in hydrogen energy, fuel cells, and hybrid systems
• Fire risks associated with photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, and renewable energy infrastructures
• Fire detection, monitoring, and suppression technologies for new energy systems
• Risk assessment and safety standards development for emerging energy industries
• Case studies and lessons learned from large-scale new energy fire incidents
• Multi-physics simulation and modeling of fire dynamics in energy systems
• Integration of fire safety design into new energy infrastructure planning and operation

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Yanyan Liu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fire is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• Lithium-ion battery fires
• thermal runaway
• battery energy storage systems (BESS)
• electric vehicles (EVs)
• hydrogen energy and explosion hazards
• renewable energy infrastructure fire risks
• fire detection and suppression technologies
• risk assessment and safety management