Form Energy, Inc.

American technology company Form Energy, Inc. is starting construction on Form Factory 1,¹ the company’s first high-volume manufacturing facility. Located in Weirton, West Virginia, Form Factory 1 will employ at least 750 people when operating at full capacity.

Construction of the factory is expected to start later this year. Production is anticipated to begin in 2024.The facility, which has received investments nearing $760 million, will be the site of production for iron-air batteries.

Federal investments in clean energy have led to an increase in private investments of those projects like Form Factory 1, reaching $300.1 billion to go toward public infrastructure and clean energy investments since 2021.

West Virginia is located in the Appalachia region and ranks number one on the Energy Communities IWG’s top 25 priority communities list. Since 2010, West Virginia has had a net loss of more than 6,000 direct coal mining jobs. As of 2021, there were nearly 14,500 coal mining employees, down from nearly 44,000 in the 1970s.

Form Energy develops and commercializes cost-effective, multi-day energy storage systems. The company’s technology, including its iron-air batteries, has long-lasting storage and is able to store electricity for up to 100 hours, easing strain on the electrical grid.

“This product is our first step to tackling the biggest barrier to deep decarbonization: making renewable energy available when and where it’s needed, even during multiple days of extreme weather, grid outages, or periods of low renewable generation,” the company stated on its website (per Utility Dive).

The Energy Communities IWG is charged with advancing an interagency commitment of robust federal leadership in direct partnership with energy communities to foster economic investment and revitalization and ensure the creation of good-paying jobs. The Energy Communities IWG has identified billions in funding to support transitioning energy communities to help revive their economy for the future. Investments in projects such as Form Factory 1 help ensure new jobs and opportunities will become available in new energy sectors.

¹ Energy Facts, Impact of the Investing in America Agenda on West Virginia,” Energy.gov, 26 May 2023,
https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-facts-impact-investing-america-agenda-west-virginia

Image courtesy of Form Energy.