In the hills of West Virginia, where coal once powered the nation’s factories and furnaces, a quiet transformation is taking place. In the town of Weirton, once known for its steel mills, a new factory is rising. But instead of steel, it will produce something far less glamorous and important for America’s future: rust.

Form Energy, a young company based in Massachusetts, believes that iron, one of the most abundant elements on Earth, can unlock a cleaner and more reliable energy system. Its team is developing long-duration iron-air batteries that can store electricity for up to one hundred hours, keeping the lights on when the sun does not shine and the wind does not blow. In essence, they are trying to solve one of renewable energy’s most difficult challenges: how to store power cheaply and efficiently for several days at a time.

The science behind the idea is simple. When the battery releases energy, its iron components rust. When it charges, that rust is reversed, turning back into iron. This cycle can repeat many times without losing its efficiency. Because the main component is iron, it avoids the high costs and environmental concerns that come with lithium, cobalt, or nickel. Those minerals are expensive, concentrated in a few countries, and often mined under harsh conditions. Iron, by contrast, is plentiful, recyclable, and available within the United States.

That local availability is a major advantage. It means America can build clean, reliable energy with materials mined and manufactured at home, rather than relying on global supply chains. It also means that jobs tied to this new energy technology can stay local. In Weirton, that matters deeply. The town’s identity was once inseparable from steel. When the mills closed, thousands of jobs disappeared, leaving behind economic hardship and a sense of loss. Form Energy’s arrival is offering something this community has not had in decades: the chance to build again.

The company’s new manufacturing facility will employ more than seven hundred people, many of whom are former steelworkers or their children. It is fitting that a town that once forged iron for America’s industrial rise will now be using that same metal to power its clean energy future. For residents, this project is more than an investment; it is a chance to reconnect with a proud tradition of making things that benefit society.

Beyond its local impact, Form Energy’s work could reshape the national energy landscape. Long-duration storage is a missing link in the renewable energy puzzle. Even without the subsidies that drove their adoption forward, solar and wind can now produce electricity at a relatively low cost, but their output depends on weather conditions and the time of day. Without a way to store energy over several days, power grids remain vulnerable to shortages and price spikes. Iron-air batteries could provide the flexibility needed to make renewable power reliable at all times. They could help prevent blackouts during extreme weather, stabilize prices, and allow utilities to retire fossil fuel plants without risking outages.

The implications go even further. If this technology scales, it could turn old industrial regions into new centers of innovation. Abandoned factories across the Midwest and Appalachia could be repurposed to build the components of a clean energy system. The same communities that once mined coal and forged steel could again play a central role in powering the country, only this time with cleaner tools.

There are still challenges ahead. Form Energy must prove that its batteries can perform reliably at scale and compete economically with other emerging storage technologies. Building trust with utilities, securing steady demand, and maintaining cost efficiency will take time. But even at this early stage, the project has come to symbolize something larger than a single innovation. It represents a new way of thinking about progress—one that connects technological ambition with American tradition.

In Weirton, the clang of machinery and the hum of construction once again fill the air. For the first time in years, residents can look at the old industrial landscape and envision a different kind of future. What was once a mark of decline is turning into a sign of renewal. Form Energy’s bet on iron is not just about batteries or electricity. It is about rediscovering how the materials and communities that built America can help build its future, too.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.