this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2025
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Futurology

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Form Energy in the US is also developing this technology, though they haven't deployed to the grid yet.

As electricity grids get nearer to being 100% renewables, they need to account for <5% of times both solar & wind don't meet peak electricity demand. Lithium-Ion batteries, which only store electricity for a few hours, aren't much use here, but Iron-Air batteries will be.

They can store days worth of electricity, and not only that, they are stable and non-flammable. The only chemical reaction taking place is iron oxidizing (rusting).

Ore Energy connects world’s first grid-connected iron-air battery in Delft

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[–] cron@feddit.org 15 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

I find it misleading that they call it "100 hour battery". What's the point?

I'd rather see information about the price per kWh or energy density.

Edit: It even sounds bad, when I think about it now. What would you rather have: A battery that can charge and discharge fast or one that is slow in this matter? If this startup wants to succeed, it needs to beat lithium-based batteries in cost.

[–] Junkers_Klunker@feddit.dk 13 points 1 day ago (1 children)

energy density doesnt matter that much for a landbased stationary battery

[–] cron@feddit.org 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You're right. But still, some hard specs would be interesting

[–] Junkers_Klunker@feddit.dk 7 points 1 day ago

Oh absolutely. An article like this useless babble of buzzwords sucks.

[–] rainwall@piefed.social 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Pricing seems to be 10x cheaper than lithium per kWh.

The battery has no rare earth metal in it, just common iron, which dramatically reduces cost. The 100hr storage is also 10-20x what lithium is designed for. Downsides appear to be slow charge/discharge and size of the batteries.

It is most likely a hybrid "iron air for long term storage, lithium for spikes and fluctuations" grid battery makes the most sense. These combo setups wouls likely have drastivally better long term storage and pricing then the current norm of "just Lithium."

There is more info about them in this article about another company in the space called Form energy.

[–] Akasazh@feddit.nl 1 points 1 day ago

Watt hours the point