rust battery powers california blackouts

While California’s power grid keeps failing during heat waves and wildfires, a startup thinks the answer might be rust. Form Energy is betting big on iron-air batteries that literally rust and un-rust to store electricity for days, not hours. Their first California project hits Mendocino County by late 2025.

The technology sounds almost too simple. Iron turns to rust when the battery discharges, sucking in oxygen from the air. Apply current, rust becomes iron again, oxygen goes back out. Each module packs about 50 cells standing one meter tall. Stack enough together and you’ve got utility-scale storage that runs for 100 hours straight. This innovation helps address the intermittency issues that traditionally plague renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

Pacific Gas & Electric signed up for a 5 MW/500 MWh system at one of their substations. The California Energy Commission just approved a $30 million grant to build what will become the state’s largest long-duration energy storage facility. The same commission overseeing Form Energy’s project will decide by January 2026 whether to approve a controversial 250 MW lithium battery facility near San Juan Capistrano despite local opposition over fire safety concerns.

References

You May Also Like

Battery Revolution: How Energy Storage Is Forcing Fossil Fuels Into Extinction

Batteries aren’t just storing energy—they’re erasing fossil fuels from existence in milliseconds while governments accelerate the inevitable. The economics don’t lie.

Victoria, AUS Homeowners Scramble as $8,800 Interest-Free Battery Loans Vanish

Victoria just killed $8,800 battery loans while homeowners scramble for alternatives before the June deadline arrives.

Victoria Bypasses Red Tape: 700 MWh Battery Project Approved in Record Time

Victoria bypasses 18-month red tape, approving a massive 700 MWh battery project in just nine weeks. Meanwhile, regular citizens still wait months for simple permits.

Dubai’s Energy Revolution: Battery Storage Takes Center Stage at 49th Middle East Energy 2025

Dubai’s $54 billion energy revolution shocks conventional wisdom as battery storage steals the spotlight at Middle East Energy 2025. The future of sustainable power arrives sooner than anyone expected.