The growth of renewable energy and large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESSs) across Africa is accelerating, but it also introduces new safety challenges that demand advanced fire protection, warns fire engineering company ASP Fire CEO Michael van Niekerk.

The company is helping to address this gap through its partnership with Pyro Brand, which distributes the German-developed PyroBubbles technology in South Africa.

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, while key to modern energy storage, pose unique risks.

“Li-ion battery fires in large-scale BESSs usually begin with thermal runaway, triggered by overheating, damage or electrical faults. When one cell overheats, it can ignite nearby cells, resulting in a rapid, chain-reaction fire that is extremely difficult to extinguish.”

These fires produce toxic and flammable gases and can reignite long after they appear to be under control, making conventional firefighting largely ineffective, he adds.

Van Niekerk notes that prevention must begin long before a flame appears. Effective safety strategies depend on early detection, thermal management, gas ventilation and isolation systems to stop the spread of thermal runaway. These requirements have led to the adoption of passive protection technologies that can contain fires before they escalate.

He adds that one of the most promising of these is PyroBubbles, an insulating and extinguishing material developed by Germany’s Genius Group and distributed locally through Pyro Brand, with technical support from ASP Fire.

“The product comprises lightweight, non-combustible glass granules that form an inert envelope around battery cells or modules. This passive layer suppresses flames, absorbs heat and reduces the release of toxic gases.”

Unlike conventional methods, it does not require active intervention, and this innovation represents a major step forward for South Africa’s clean-energy transition, Van Niekerk adds.

“The local availability of PyroBubbles means [that] South African developers and operators can now adopt global best practice in battery fire safety without importing or custom-developing new materials.”

Safety certification is another important element of this technology’s value, as PyroBubbles complies with strict European and South African standards, including SANS 11820 for non-combustibility and EN 13501-1 for reaction-to-fire classification as an A1 product.

The material maintains its performance at temperatures of up to 1 050 °C, making it suitable for extreme conditions often experienced in industrial and energy-storage environments.



Independent testing by South African laboratories has confirmed that it can adsorb more than 85% of toxic vapours released during a thermal event – a crucial factor for logistics, storage and industrial safety, as it reduces contamination and environmental damage after a fire.

The technology is also finding use in Genius Boxes, which are UN-certified containers designed for the safe storage and transport of Li-ion batteries, including damaged or defective units.