Google plans to deploy a 300 MW/30 GWh iron-air battery system in Minnesota under an agreement with Xcel Energy, pairing it with 1.6 GW of new wind and solar. Google has reached a de?nitive agreement with Xcel Energy to deploy a massive 300 MW/30 GWh iron-air battery system in Pine Island, Minnesota. The project, using technology from Form Energy, is set to become the largest battery system by energy capacity announced globally, providing a blueprint for how Big Tech intends to ?rm up intermittent renewables to meet the relentless power demands of the AI era.
the project is a cornerstone of the new ‘Clean Energy Accelerator’ agreement, a regulatory framework that allows Google to cover the costs of the deployment directly. Xcel Energy said the framework is designed to ensure the 100-hour longduration energy storage (LDES) system, paired with 1,400 MW of wind and 200 MW of solar, does not impact the rates of its residential customers.