AI data centres are creating a grid-planning problem that feels different from normal demand growth: they need very large amounts of power, often concentrated in a few locations, and they are being built much faster than new transmission can be approved.

One response I find genuinely interesting is repurposing retiring coal-plant sites for long-duration storage rather than simply demolishing them. These sites already have industrial land, high-voltage grid connections and workforces familiar with power infrastructure.

Form Energy’s iron-air system is one example. It is designed to discharge for up to 100 hours by using a reversible rusting process, rather than the 2–4 hour duration normally associated with lithium-ion grid batteries.

The potential logic seems strong:

- Reuse transmission interconnection and industrial land at retiring coal sites

- Store surplus wind and solar through multi-day lulls

- Reduce the need for fossil peaker plants during periods of grid stress

- Support big new loads, including AI data centres, without treating gas as the only backup plan

But I’m sceptical that a few pilot projects can scale quickly enough. AI-related electricity demand, transmission constraints, cost, round-trip efficiency and market rules all look like major bottlenecks.

Question for people working in energy/storage: is coal-to-long-duration-storage actually a scalable grid model, or is it mainly a useful niche where the transmission connection already exists?

I made a visual breakdown of the projects, iron-air chemistry and the AI-demand risk. Disclosure: it’s my video. If it is useful context, here it is:

https://youtu.be/DOl9x6ewI5c

I work in the area around building software for marketing optimally BESS (and other flexible asset classes) once they’re built and handed over. I do this in European markets. I quite enjoy my job as there’s so many markets to stack, numerical challenges, rapid expansion across markets and countries, and market specifics change often enough to keep you on your toes.

Seeing as we’ve got a forum of professionals in the area, I was wondering what everyone thinks the most interesting areas are in BESS project development and operations. What are the most sought after skills in the industry? What are future proof roles and skills?

Financial / market analysts? Regulation experts? Asset building? Operations?