Academic and Professional Qualifications:
| MA |
Chemistry – Oxford University |
| PhD |
Chemistry - Imperial College |
Experience:
Professor Paul Christensen is an accomplished professional electrochemist and a renowned expert in lithium-ion battery safety. He acts as a consultant on this topic, both for Burgoynes and via his own consultancy Lithiumionsafety Ltd.
Paul continues to work as a Professor of Pure and Applied Electrochemistry at Newcastle University, where he leads research into lithium-ion batteries. Notably, his research team was the first to link vapour cloud explosions to lithium ion battery energy storage systems (LiBESS). He has had over 180 papers published in peer-reviewed journals.
As a consultant, Paul has provided advice to international government organisations and a number of international companies in industries including insurance, civil engineering, fire detection and suppression, LiBESS manufacturing, mining, electric vehicle (EV) production, and chemical production. He was commissioned as a consultant by the UK Office for Product and Safety Standards, and the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to research the safety of second life batteries in residential LiBESS.
In addition to his research and consultancy roles, Paul holds several formal advisor positions such as Senior Advisor to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and Special Advisor to Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service. He is also a Subject Matter Expert to DSTL and Chair of the CINS Technical Advisory Committee for Academic and Scientific Research.
Paul is also involved in several working groups, including the Cross-government Technical Steering Group for EV fire safety, and he serves on numerous committees, including the BSI PAS 63100 (domestic energy storage systems) Steering Group and the Chamber of Shipping Lithium-ion Batteries Working Group.
He also provides informal advice and assistance to UK and world rescue organisations, fire and rescue services, and to organisations such as the Department for Transport and the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles. Paul is currently assisting Dame Maria Millar with respect to her Private Members’ Bill on battery energy storage systems.