Google backs Italian long duration CO2 energy storage technology

Italian long-duration energy storage company Energy Dome, which has developed a storage technology that uses CO2 to store electricity, has landed an important new backer, with global tech giant Google committing to invest in the company and support the deployment of commercial projects around the globe.

Energy Dome, which was founded in 2020, has developed a so-called “CO2 Battery” that relies on a thermo-mechanical cycle to charge by drawing carbon dioxide from within a dome and store it under pressure as a liquid, then dispatch power back into the grid by evaporating and expanding the CO2 through a turbine back into the dome.

The CO2 Battery boasts round trip efficiency of over 75 per cent, slightly lower than a traditional lithium-ion battery. But whereas a lithium battery will see its efficiency degrade over time, the CO2 battery will not. It is also expected to have a lifespan in excess of 30 years and doesn’t rely on any critical materials.

A commercial demonstration facility connected to the local grid has been operating in Italy for over three years, as well as a more recent 10-hour 20 megawatt (MW) commercial plant.

As part of its wider efforts to decarbonise its operations as well as local electricity grids which power its operations, Google is backing a range of new technologies, helping to bring these technologies to market faster and accelerate their deployment.

Google’s partnership with Energy Dome is its first with a long duration energy storage company and technology and will see the two companies develop CO2 Battery projects in key geographical strategic areas including Europe, America, and the Asia Pacific region.

The goal will be to scale up deployment of Energy Dome’s CO2 Battery at a rapid pace in order to meet Google’s 2030 carbon-free energy goals, with a pipeline of sites and projects already identified and in the early development and contracting stages.

“Google is committed to powering our operations with clean energy, and Energy Dome’s technologically proven and scalable long-duration energy storage solution can help us unlock rapid progress,” said Maud Texier, director of EMEA Energy at Google.

In addition to the commercial collaboration between the two companies, Google is also making an undisclosed investment in Energy Dome.

This investment comes as Energy Dome enters a growth phase of commercial deployment, with multiple projects already contracted, including with Alliant Energy in the United States, Engie in Italy, and NTPC in India.

Energy Dome also announced earlier this year that it will establish its Asia Pacific headquarters in Melbourne as it continues to identify potential sites in Victoria to deploy its CO2 battery.

“The programmatic and strategic deployment of our technology at scale to help Google reach carbon-free energy represents the core of our industry-first agreement,” said Claudio Spadacini, founder and CEO of Energy Dome.

“We’re proving that a 24/7 cost-effective and carbon-free energy supply is achievable with the right technology and partnership model. We are also pleased to welcome Google as an investor in Energy Dome, underlining our joint commitment to a shared vision.”