A guest at the Sept. 12 celebratory event at Form Factory 1 in Weirton looks over a display of a battery cell. U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin announced Friday that Form Energy would be receiving up to $150 million in federal support to assist with the start of full production. (Photo by Craig Howell)

WEIRTON — Form Energy’s efforts to manufacture its new iron-air batteries, bringing a planned 750 jobs to the Upper Ohio Valley, received an extra spark of support Friday in the form of a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy worth up to $150 million.

The funding award was announced officially by U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., and Form Energy co-founder and CEO Mateo Jaramillo.

Last week, the company held a celebratory event with invited guests marking the completion of construction on Form Factory 1 in Weirton and the beginning of trial production. With this grant, Jaramillo said, Form Energy will ramp up its plans for hiring and production.

“This is an accelerant here. It’s helping to drive it even faster,” he explained.

The company broke ground in May 2023 for construction of its 800,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, where Form Energy will produce an iron-air battery officials said will be capable of providing 100 hours – more than four days – of energy. Jaramillo pointed out current lithium/ion batteries provide only about two-to-four hours of storage for many of the uses Form Energy is eyeing for its batteries.

That includes support for utility providers across the country in an effort to further shore up the nation’s energy grid.

“We’re solving a real reliability challenge,” Jaramillo said.

Funding for the award was made possible through passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – which Manchin said included more than $6 million in support of the domestic battery supply chain.

“I hope all of you are as excited as we are today for Weirton, for West Virginia, and the entire country,” Manchin, who serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, said to those taking part in a virtual press conference announcing the funding.

Manchin offered his appreciation to U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., as well as U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and her staff for their work in securing the funds.

“West Virginia is once again stepping up to the plate,” Manchin said, adding the IIJA has been integral in projects such as this as it provides support for existing energy projects and investment in projects for the future. “We’re producing energy we need today, and investing in energy we need for tomorrow.”

The initial construction of Form Factory 1 was supported through an anticipated investment of $760 million, including a $215 million forgivable loan from the West Virginia Economic Development Authority.

Jaramillo said the company itself has been able to raise $900 million in private investment.

According to Giulia Siccardo, director of the Department of Energy’s Office of Manufacturing & Energy Supply Chains, the funding is part of a second wave of awards, which, to date, have supported 25 projects across 14 states.

The funds, she said, are awarded based on a ratio of $1 from the government for at least $1 raised privately.

Jaramillo indicated the company also is looking forward, indicating shipments of its product will be ready by the end of the year, and that it will only be the first of many products planned by Form Energy. He also noted new agreements and partnerships within the Weirton area, including West Virginia Northern Community College and the John D. Rockefeller IV Career Center to provide training for potential employees, and with the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley.

“We’re building a company, yes, but also a foundation for a broader community,” he said