Sustainable Solutions: Form Energy - Powering the Grid with Iron-Air Innovation
- Timothy Beggans
- Jun 12
- 1 min read
Updated: Jun 16
As the world races to net-zero, long-duration energy storage is key to unlocking renewable energy’s full potential. Enter Form Energy, a Massachusetts-based innovator redefining grid reliability with its iron-air battery technology. Using iron—one of Earth’s most abundant, low-cost elements—Form’s batteries store electricity for up to 100 hours, addressing the intermittency of wind and solar at a fraction of lithium-ion’s cost.
Unlike conventional batteries reliant on scarce materials, Form’s iron-air system leverages the reversible rusting process: iron oxidizes to store energy and reverts to release it. This breakthrough offers multi-day storage, enabling renewables to power grids through extended weather events or seasonal shifts. In 2024, Form began shipping batteries from its Weirton, West Virginia factory—a former steel hub now driving clean energy manufacturing. The site underscores Form’s mission: sustainable innovation rooted in economic revitalization.
Named one of MIT Technology Review’s Top Climate Tech Companies of 2024, Form is gaining traction. Its 10 MW/1,000 MWh project at Minnesota’s Sherco plant, partnered with Xcel Energy, showcases grid-scale potential. Utilities increasingly seek such solutions to stabilize renewables and defer costly infrastructure upgrades, blending environmental and economic wins.
Competitors like ESS (iron flow batteries) and Energy Vault (gravity storage) target shorter durations (8–24 hours), while Form’s 100-hour capacity sets it apart for multi-day needs. With the long-duration storage market projected to hit 85–140 TWh by 2040, Form’s scalable, low-cost tech positions it as a leader.
Iron is abundant. So is Form’s potential to decarbonize. As grids evolve, will iron-air batteries be the backbone of a renewable future? Share your thoughts!
Learn more: formenergy.com
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