Xcel & Form Energy's 10MW iron-air battery project approved

Xcel Energy has received approval from state regulators to construct a 10MW/1,000MWh iron-air battery system - developed by Massachusetts-based Form Energy - on five acres of land near the Sherburne County Generating Station in Becker, Minnesota.

The project will be located near one of the largest solar developments in the US, Sherco Solar, which is now in development and will add up to 710MW of renewable energy to the grid.

Construction of the battery system will start in the second quarter of 2024, with the battery expected to come online as early as 2025. The project is expected to support 15 to 20 construction jobs and generate $9 million in local tax revenue, a statement said.

“Multi-day battery storage has the potential to help us better harness the renewable energy we generate while ensuring the grid remains reliable for our customers,” said Bria Shea, regional vice president, regulatory policy for Xcel Energy–Minnesota. “We look forward to bringing this system online at our Sherco site and learning more about the role it can play in our larger effort to reach 100% carbon-free electricity.”

The project is one of two battery storage projects to be installed at the sites of retiring Xcel Energy coal plants, with the other location at the Comanche Generating Station in Pueblo, Colorado.

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