Energy Storage

Minnesota co-op breaks ground on multi-day energy storage project

Form Energy said this is the first commercial deployment of the company’s iron-air battery.

Minnesota co-op breaks ground on multi-day energy storage project
(A rendering shows a Form Energy battery system planned near Cambridge, Minnesota. Credit: Form Energy / Courtesy.)

Minnesota cooperative Great River Energy and storage startup Form Energy this month broke ground on a 1.5 MW/150 MWh multi-day energy storage pilot project.

The Cambridge Energy Storage Project in Cambridge, Minnesota will deploy Form Energy’s iron-air battery technology, capable of storing energy for up to 100 hours, or several days, the company said.

Form Energy said this is the first commercial deployment of the company’s iron-air battery. The system will be manufactured at the company’s Form Factory 1 in Weirton, West Virginia, and is expected to be operational by late 2025.

Following the project’s completion, Great River Energy plans to conduct a multi-year study to evaluate the system’s performance and potential for broader deployment. 

Iron-air battery technology uses the principle of reversible rusting. The battery cells contain iron and air electrodes and are filled with a water-based, nonflammable electrolyte solution. While discharging, the battery absorbs oxygen from the air and converts iron metal to rust.

While charging, the application of an electrical current converts the rust back to iron and the battery emits oxygen. The technology has lower costs compared to lithium-ion battery production.

Form Energy has several iron-air battery projects underway across the U.S.

One plan is to deploy 10 MW/1,000 MWh systems at two retiring Xcel Energy coal plants: The Sherburne County Generating Station in Becker, Minnesota and the Comanche Generating Station in Pueblo, Colorado.

Form Energy also has an agreement with Georgia Power to deploy a 15 MW/1500 MWh iron-air battery system in Georgia. The multi-day battery system could come online as early as 2026. 

Company co-founder and CEO Mateo Jaramillo appeared on the Factor This! podcast last year, where he discussed the company’s history and its recent efforts to commercialize its 100-hour battery.

Episode 54 of the Factor This! podcast features Form Energy co-founder and CEO Mateo Jaramillo, a former Tesla executive pushing for deep decarbonization on the grid. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

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