Google Announces Revolutionary Data Center with World's Largest Battery Storage
Google has unveiled plans to develop an innovative data center complex located south of Minneapolis, Minnesota, that will operate entirely on renewable wind and solar energy. The groundbreaking project will be supported by what the technology giant describes as the "world's largest battery storage system," marking a significant advancement in sustainable infrastructure development.
Revolutionary Battery Technology for Extended Power Supply
The project will utilize long-duration battery technology specifically designed to supply electricity for up to 100 hours, far exceeding the capabilities of conventional battery storage systems. Most existing battery storage projects typically provide only 4 to 8 hours of power, making this development a substantial leap forward in energy storage capabilities.
The battery system will be constructed using Form Energy's innovative iron-air technology, which operates through a reversible rusting process. This approach is engineered to maintain power supply during extended severe weather events, periods of high summer demand, or stretches of low solar generation. Google emphasized that this combination of renewable energy with both short- and long-duration storage addresses critical reliability concerns while providing steady power comparable to traditional baseload sources like fossil fuel and nuclear generation.
Unprecedented Scale and Partnership Details
Form Energy has signed landmark agreements with both Google and Xcel Energy for the Pine Island data center project, making Google the first hyperscale company to contract for this advanced long-duration battery technology. The comprehensive project includes:
- 1.4 gigawatts of wind energy capacity
- 200 megawatts of solar energy generation
- A 300-megawatt iron-air battery system scheduled for completion by 2028
When fully deployed, this system will be capable of powering over 200,000 homes, demonstrating its substantial capacity. Form's iron-air batteries are specifically designed for multi-day storage at approximately one-tenth the cost of conventional lithium-ion systems, though they are not suitable for electric vehicle applications due to their design parameters.
Financial and Operational Framework
The project operates under Minnesota's Clean Energy Accelerator Charge, which allows Google to select its renewable energy mix without passing additional costs to local residents. Form Energy is expected to receive close to $1 billion for its pivotal role in this groundbreaking initiative.
In an exclusive statement to Fortune, Form cofounder and CEO Mateo Jaramillo declared, "This is the largest announced energy storage project in the world. It definitively confirms the business case for what we call multiday-duration storage." Jaramillo, a battery storage expert and former Tesla vice president, left Tesla in 2017 to pursue frontier-edge technology development while seeking improved work-life balance.
Strategic Vision and Manufacturing Expansion
Form Energy is opening its Form Factory 1 facility in West Virginia this year and plans significant operational scaling. Jaramillo indicated the company aims to go public on a "relatively near-term horizon," likely next year, stating, "For the scale of company that we are becoming, for the kinds of deals that we're doing with our customers, it is beneficial to us to be a public company."
The West Virginia factory is expected to scale up to 500 megawatts of annual manufacturing capacity by the end of 2028. The company has already begun installing its first 100-hour battery system in a 1.5-megawatt project with Great River Energy in Minnesota, demonstrating practical implementation of their technology.
Addressing Critical Energy Challenges
Jaramillo explained that Form's batteries are specifically designed to complement renewable energy sources and address multi-day weather or demand events that short-duration lithium-ion systems cannot adequately cover. "That 100 hours sounds simple and like a nice, appealing round number, but it is actually very much supported by the math," he noted, referring to extreme weather events that typically span four to five days.
The executive emphasized that pairing renewables with 100-hour batteries could help data center projects gain regulatory approval more efficiently by reducing concerns about grid reliability. "That 100-hour duration is what's required to provide true, firm capacity into the system," Jaramillo stated, adding that without this capability, developers would need excess renewables and short-duration storage to compensate for reliability gaps.
Future Expansion and Market Alignment
Additional projects planned through 2028 include installations with Xcel Energy in Minnesota and Colorado, PG&E in California, Georgia Power, Dominion Energy in Virginia, various projects in New York, and an 85-megawatt project in Maine. Jaramillo observed that "demand, technology, and manufacturing capacity are now aligning" after years of parallel development.
This revolutionary approach to energy storage represents a significant milestone in sustainable technology infrastructure, potentially transforming how large-scale data centers integrate with renewable energy grids while maintaining reliable operations during extended periods of low renewable generation or high demand.
