Unlocking the Power of Iron and Rust for Long-Term Energy Storage

Form Energy, a startup led by a former Tesla executive and backed by Bill Gates's Breakthrough Energy Ventures and TPG, is developing iron-air batteries as a low-cost solution for long-duration energy storage. These batteries can store electricity for at least 100 hours, far longer than the four to six hours provided by large-scale lithium-ion packs. The use of iron, an abundant and cheap material, makes the batteries scalable without raw material limitations. Form Energy aims to compete with natural gas-powered generators that currently back up the power grid during periods of high demand. The company plans to deliver its iron-air modules to utility customers by 2025.