An energy startup called Form Energy is set to build the world’s biggest battery in Lincoln, Maine. The project, funded by a $147 million grant from the Department of Energy, will be capable of storing an astounding 8,500 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy.
Massive Energy Capacity
To put this massive capacity into perspective:
- The battery can store enough energy to power an electric car for approximately 31 million miles (50 million km) on a single charge.
- This is enough to circumnavigate the Earth 1,228 times.
- In comparison, the best laptops have a battery capacity of around 65 Wh, meaning this battery can store 130 million times more energy.
Practical Limitations
Despite their impressive specifications, the practicality of using iron-air batteries in consumer applications is limited. The individual modules’ size and weight make them unsuitable for integration into electric cars or laptops. Instead, they are primarily focused on utility-scale applications, providing long-duration energy storage to support the electric grid during periods of low renewable generation.
How the Iron-Air Battery Works
Form Energy’s battery system uses a novel iron-air chemistry that works on the principle of “reversible rusting”. During discharge, the battery takes in oxygen from the air and converts iron inside the battery to rust. When charging, the process is reversed – converting rust back into iron and releasing oxygen.’
Charging: In this 1/2 reaction, iron oxide is reduced back to iron, releasing oxygen in the process.
The storage system will be built from multiple individual battery modules, each about the size of a side-by-side washer/dryer set. Each module contains approximately 50 cells, 3 feet (1 meter) tall, filled with iron and air electrodes along with a water-based, non-flammable electrolyte solution.
Advantages of Iron-Air Batteries
Compared to lithium-ion batteries, Form Energy’s iron-air technology offers several key advantages:
Lower cost – the iron-air batteries are 10 times cheaper to deploy. Iron is abundant and inexpensive compared to lithium, making this technology potentially more affordable for large-scale energy storage.
Longer duration storage – they can provide 100 hours of energy output. Iron-air batteries can provide energy over extended periods, which is crucial for balancing supply and demand in renewable energy systems.
Improved safety – they are non-flammable and do not catch fire. The use of iron and air makes the system inherently safer than many lithium-ion batteries, which can catch fire if damaged.
Easier recycling – the materials are more easily recyclable at the end of their life
Preparing for Renewable Energy Growth
The massive battery installation is part of a broader effort to strengthen the New England power grid in anticipation of a large influx of renewable energy, especially from offshore wind farms. It will help store excess renewable energy and provide reliable power when output is low.
The project is also expected to help address energy shortages in the region, which currently relies on expensive imported liquefied natural gas and oil to meet demand. By storing renewable energy, the battery can substitute for fossil fuel power plants for extended periods.
While still early days for the technology, Form Energy’s ambitious project could prove to be a crucial tool in the effort to decarbonize the grid and transition to renewable energy sources. As the world’s largest battery, it will be a significant milestone in the development of long-duration energy storage solutions.
References for Form Energy and Iron-Air Batteries
- Battery Technology | Form Energy
- What we know about plans to build the world’s largest multi-day battery system in Lincoln
- Will Iron-Air Batteries Revolutionize Renewable Energy Storage?
- Form Energy’s ‘100-hour’ iron-air battery attracts another US utility
- Technology | Form Energy
- Form Energy – Wikipedia
- Form Energy’s Iron-Air Battery: A Game Changer for Energy Storage
- The Future of Energy Storage: Iron-Air Batteries
- Innovations in Energy Storage: Iron-Air Technology
- Exploring the Potential of Iron-Air Batteries
