Delft, Netherlands -- Dutch startup Ore Energy has successfully connected its iron-air battery system to the electric grid at The Green Village, a testing site at TU Delft. According to the company, this is the first operational, grid-connected iron-air battery system worldwide.

The pilot system uses iron, air, and water to store energy for up to 100 hours. During charging, electricity converts iron oxides back into metallic iron, while discharging releases energy as the metallic iron reacts with oxygen to form iron oxides.

The installation will collect real-world data and test multi-day energy shifting, a key step toward integrating renewable power into the grid. Ore Energy plans full-scale deployment using 40-ft modular containers, each providing 4.2 MWh of storage, optimized for cost-efficiency and minimal footprint.

Aytaç Yilmaz, co-founder and CEO of Ore Energy, said the technology can address key grid challenges by reducing curtailment, replacing fossil fuel backup, and minimizing overbuilding of wind and solar capacity.

Founded in 2023 as a TU Delft spin-out, Ore Energy focuses on long-duration, safe, and low-cost energy storage using abundant materials.

Source: chemengonline.com