Photo credit: Town of Lincoln, Maine
Maine Governor Janet Mills recently announced that a first-of-its-kind project is headed to Lincoln, Maine, where Form Energy plans to build the world’s largest iron-air battery energy storage system. Set at the long-shuttered Lincoln paper mill site, this battery storage system will have the capacity to store 85 megawatts of energy, enough to power 65,000 homes. Vita Nuova provided the town of Lincoln with technical assistance and expertise in reimagining complex properties throughout the development of this project.
“Vita Nuova was proud to support the town of Lincoln through U.S. EPA technical assistance in developing a master conceptual plan for the site and identifying battery storage as a potential use, Vita Nuova President Michael Taylor said. “We look forward to seeing the town of Lincoln succeed in bringing this most difficult site back to life.”
The project has gained traction thanks to a $147 million federal grant from the Department of Energy, part of a broader $389 million investment in energy infrastructure across New England. The project will also include a $1.5 million community investment fund for workforce development and education, which will help to revitalize the Lincoln area and provide opportunities for long-term economic growth. “[This is] a story of renewal for the Lincoln area,” Senator Angus King said in the press release from the Maine Governor’s Energy Office. The Lincoln mill closed in 2015 after filing for bankruptcy. When it closed, nearly 130 remaining employees were laid off, according to an article published in the Bangor Daily News. Construction is expected to create around 100 new jobs, with several long-term positions available once the facility is operational.
This project aims to help stabilize and strengthen New England’s power grid by addressing the unpredictable nature of nearby renewable energy sources like wind and solar. During periods of high renewable energy production, the battery will store excess energy, which can then be used when energy demand is high or when production is low.
Operating through a process known as “reversible rusting,” ion-air batteries allow energy to be stored for longer periods than traditional lithium-ion batteries. Additionally, iron-air technology provides a means of circumnavigating the need for lithium mining, a process with deeply detrimental environmental impacts.
Construction is slated to begin in 2027, with project completion expected in 2028.
More information about Vita Nuova’s Energy Transition services is available here.