Air-Breathing Batteries Could Revolutionise Renewable Energy
This MIT spinoff might have a huge impact.
As we shift away from our coal-guzzling ways towards renewables and EVs, we are becoming more reliant on batteries. However, these batteries are eye-wateringly expensive, bulky, unsafe, slow to charge, and not that great for the environment. Not only does this force EVs to become borderline extortionate or unfit for purpose, but it is also massively holding back the renewable energy sector. In short, we can’t save the planet without better batteries. But Form Energy, a spinoff from MIT that is backed by the space cowboy himself, Jeff Bezos, has a brilliant solution. Iron-air batteries.
Form’s technology is surprisingly simple. Iron oxide (rusted iron) powder and a water-based solution are poured into a sealed container that is connected to a hydrogen fuel cell. To charge this battery, a current is passed through the water solution. This causes the iron oxide to turn back into pure iron and release the oxygen it was bonded to. To discharge, this iron is allowed to react with the water and rust. This means that the oxygen element of the water attaches to the iron, turning it into iron oxide, and the hydrogen part of the water is released. This hydrogen then enters the fuel cell, where it reacts with the oxygen released during charging to create…
