Victoria’s SEC has revealed plans to develop Australia’s first compressed CO2 battery in partnership with Italian global clean technology company Energy Dome.
Energy Dome’s closed-loop, compressed CO2 long-duration energy storage solution will be the first piece of the SEC Energy Works, an energy innovation precinct in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley.
The 143ha property, located in Hazelwood North, will provide a space for SEC to partner with industry to develop a range of new energy infrastructure and storage technologies that our future energy system will require.
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Once built, the 20MW facility will be capable of continuously supplying electricity for 10 to 12 hours.
The project will be Victoria’s first long-duration energy storage facility and Australia’s first commercial use of closed-loop, compressed CO2 energy storage.
SEC CEO Chris Miller said, “Long-duration energy storage will play a foundational, system-level role in Victoria’s future energy system, firming variable renewable generation (from wind and solar) to deliver the around-the-clock reliability of supply that’s needed to power our homes, businesses and communities.
“As an integrated generator and retailer of 100% renewable electricity to commercial and industrial customers, we envisage long-duration energy storage will play a critical role in balancing our portfolio, enabling SEC to provide additional support to the system during multi-hour or multi-day wind or solar droughts.”
Energy Dome founder and CEO Claudio Spadacini said, “Partnering with SEC to bring long-duration energy storage to Victoria is a defining moment for Energy Dome.
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“Our CO2 battery delivers 10 to 12 hours of clean, dispatchable power, using proven compressor and turbine technology familiar to the Latrobe Valley workforce. This project will help support the region’s transition from coal while maintaining the engineering skills that have powered Victoria for generations.”
Planning and design for the project has begun, with early stakeholder and community consultation now underway.
