Google revealed plans for a new data center in Minnesota, which will incorporate a groundbreaking battery technology developed by startup Form Energy. The center is estimated to cost around $1 billion and will utilize a combination of wind and solar energy, alongside the innovative iron-air battery that can discharge power for extended periods.
This battery can deliver 300 megawatts of electricity continuously for up to 100 hours, utilizing a unique mechanism where iron rusts in the presence of oxygen to release electrons. The facility will harness 1.4 gigawatts of wind energy and 200 megawatts of solar energy to enhance the reliability of electricity supply.
Form Energy, which has invested years in refining its technology and established a production site in West Virginia, has secured its first major client with this contract. CEO Mateo Jaramillo indicated that the company is currently raising $500 million in funding, building on a total of $1.4 billion raised previously. Plans are in place for the company to go public next year.