Metal-air batteries: Overview
Batteries that breathe air, built to last for days not hours
What this tile covers Batteries that breathe oxygen from air; iron-air targets multi-day grid storage. Share of use 0% share of world stored energy (2026)Share of the world's stored energy (energy capacity held, TWh, latest year 2019 to 2026) across the forms with figures, about 22,551 TWh; fuel stocks dominate. Battery and other stores count capacity, not state of charge Form Energy's first grid iron-air systems (for example 1.5 MW / 150 MWh at Great River Energy) slipped to 2027, so almost nothing is in service; zinc-air hearing-aid cells are negligible. Source: Form Energy: 2026 climate tech companies to watch, MIT Technology Review.
Key facts
| Duration | Days |
Included from the reference tables
- Iron-air
- Zinc-air
- Aluminium-air
Linked to the material world
Fe Iron oreZn ZincAl AluminiumAlso in Electrochemical
LFP Lithium iron phosphate batteriesNMC Nickel-rich lithium-ion batteriesSSB Next-generation lithium batteriesNa+ Sodium-ion batteriesPbA Lead-acid batteriesNiB Nickel-based batteriesVRF Flow batteriesNaS High-temperature batteriesZn Other and primary batteriesExplore paths from here
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