This new battery could power your home for 1000 years

A new giant battery could completely transform the way we store energy. Head to the state of Maine in the United States, where the most ambitious energy storage project ever conceived is about to come to fruition.

Its principle is based on a revolutionary technology: iron-air. More environmentally friendly than traditional batteries, it could revolutionize the global energy landscape.


The project, led by the start-up Form Energy, is backed by the U.S. government, which has allocated $147 million to its development. Once completed, this battery will have an unprecedented storage capacity of 8,500 MWh, making it the largest in the world, far ahead of its competitors.

To better grasp the scale of this project, let's compare it to existing systems. Currently, the record is held by a battery in California capable of storing 3,287 MWh, an already impressive figure. Form Energy aims to triple this capacity. With this battery, it would be possible to cover more than 31 million miles (50 million kilometers) in an electric car without recharging, which is more than 1,200 times around the Earth. It could also power a home for over 1000 years.

Iron-air technology is based on a "reversible rusting" reaction. During discharge, oxygen from the air oxidizes the iron to produce electricity. During charging, the reverse process transforms the rust back into iron, releasing oxygen.

This technological choice offers several advantages. By not using heavy metals or toxic products, iron-air batteries are cheaper and more environmentally friendly. Their storage cost is estimated to be one-tenth that of lithium-ion batteries.

However, these batteries won't replace lithium ones for our everyday devices. Their ability to charge and discharge slowly makes them ideal for large-scale storage, but not well-suited for the immediate needs of smartphones and electric cars.

Despite these limitations, Form Energy's project could redefine renewable energy management. By facilitating the storage of energy surpluses, this innovation promises to stabilize the electrical grid while reducing energy costs.