Google and energy storage company Energy Dome have signed a partnership to build a 23 MW/200 MWh long duration energy storage facility in Ireland. The project will implement Energy Dome's CO2 Battery technology, which is the first commercial project in the scope of Energy Dome's strategic partnership aimed at scaling long-duration energy storage, integration of renewable energy, clean energy transition, grid stability, and carbon-free energy solutions.

It will be built at an old thermal power plant at Rhode, Ireland, and is part of a wider deal made last year between Google and Energy Dome. The project's purpose is to help increase renewable energy supply through storage of surplus electricity generated by renewables like wind and solar and delivery when it's needed.

Initiatives to enhance the reliability of renewable energy (RE) supply.Actions to improve renewable energy (RE) supply reliability.

In conclusion, the increasing demand for renewable energy sources is making energy storage more significant in the countries. Wind and solar generation have weather dependency, which can cause problems in delivering a consistent supply of electricity. Long-duration storage helps solve this problem by storing energy for the times when it is most abundant (when renewables are generating more energy than demand) and extracting it when it is most needed (when demand outweighs supply).

It is expected that the installation in Ireland will take up any excess renewable electricity when it is available and supply when it is needed. The project will help make the grid more reliable, and meet the growing demand for electricity, including infrastructure for digital needs and electrification of transportation.

Energy Dome's CO2 Battery Technology

Energy Dome was established in 2019 in Milan, Italy and is developing long-duration energy storage solutions to increase the utilization of renewables. It has the CO2 Battery technology that stores electricity in compressed CO2 that is stored at ambient temperatures. If energy is required, the stored carbon dioxide gas is released and sent to a turbine which is connected to a power grid to generate electricity.

Based on Energy Dome's assertion, the technology can dispatch power for anywhere from eight hours to 24 hours, versus many traditional lithium-ion battery systems. The system is made from readily available components and lessens reliance on supply chains that rely on critical minerals, the company said.

Google's Energy Goal: Zero Carbon.

In 2020, Google's parent company, Alphabet, announced that it will be using carbon-free energy for 24 hours a day. The goal is to balance the company's electricity use with no carbon consumption—hour-by-hour, all year long, in all regions—by 2030.

As part of Google's research into technologies to help ensure uninterrupted access to clean electricity, this collaboration with Energy Dome is fitting. Long duration energy storage will have a major part to play in balancing the electricity supply and demand as well as availability of renewable energy, the companies said.

Ireland Project gets Capacity Contract.

The project has been signed into a 10-year capacity contract by EirGrid, Ireland's state-owned transmission system operator. The plant is anticipated to go on stream in 2028.

“We are looking to build a second 200 MWh unit at the same site that could make a bigger long-duration energy storage centre in the Irish Midlands,” energy firm Energy Dome said. The development would also contribute to the deployment of renewable energy and grid flexibility in the region.

In the spirit of Partnership, the focus was on global deployment.

The project is the first commercial bilateral deployment in partnership with Google, said Energy Dome CEO and Founder Claudio Spadacini. The partnership will focus on CO2 Battery projects in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, he added.

The project in Ireland will act as a showcase for the length of time that LDES can contribute to energy security, reliability, and resilience as electricity demand grows, the companies said.

It's progress on the partnership and will help in achieving the goal of creating cleaner and secure energy systems, said Vanessa Hartley, Head of Google Ireland.