West Virginia officials announced that Form Energy, the cutting-edge battery company bringing new life to Weirton’s industrial base, has been selected for an award negotiation of up to $150 million.
The money aimed at supporting Form Energy is part of a broader set of federal dollar distributions aimed at bolstering the electric vehicle and grid battery supply chain.
The funding is part of the more than $6 billion included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that Congress passed in 2021. The grant is through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Battery Materials Processing and Battery Manufacturing and Recycling program.
Form Energy’s initial phase on the site of the old Weirton steel mill in Hancock County is meant to produce 750 well-paying jobs. Form’s customers are electric utilities, looking to harness battery storage capacity.
The company’s battery technology operates through a “reversible rusting” process. The battery breathes in oxygen from the air and converts iron metal to rust. When the battery charges, the reverse happens. An electrical current converts the rust back to iron, and the battery breathes out oxygen.
Senators Joe Manchin, an independent, and Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican, praised the federal dollars for Form Energy in statements today. Each voted in favor of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that was signed by President Joe Biden.
“I was proud to secure this funding and I am thrilled that Form Energy will be able to utilize it to create good-paying jobs in Weirton and help preserve our legacy as America’s Energy Powerhouse for decades to come,” Manchin stated.
Capito commented, “Form Energy is providing a needed boost to the manufacturing industry in our state, specifically to the Weirton community. During my visit to the facility this summer, I saw how their embrace of new technological capabilities will help America continue to lead the way in energy innovation.”
Mitch Carmichael, the state secretary of economic development, said the funding demonstrates that “the U.S. Department of Energy is acknowledging that West Virginia is an ideal place to locate all-of-the-above energy development and manufacturing.”
State Senator Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, said the battery manufacturing project has benefited from the support of a range of leaders and the vision of Form Energy.
“For years as a result of the decline and closure of its steel industry, the people of Weirton believed that its days as a manufacturing hub were over,” said Weld, who represents the area around Weirton. “Now, thanks to significant investments made by the State of West Virginia and the U.S. Department of Energy, along with the leadership of Senators Manchin and Capito, there is a renewed excitement for Weirton’s future and the products that will be made here.”