Google enters long-duration energy storage (LDES) with a global commercial partnership and investment in Energy Dome.
Energy Dome’s CO₂ Battery stores clean energy for 8–24 hours, addressing the gap between renewable generation and demand.
LDES could unlock up to $540 billion in global savings annually and accelerate 24/7 carbon-free energy goals.
Google has announced a long-term global partnership and investment in Energy Dome, marking its first step into long-duration energy storage (LDES) and expanding its portfolio of advanced clean energy technologies. The goal: to deploy Energy Dome’s CO₂ Battery technology at scale and accelerate the transition to 24/7 carbon-free electricity across its operations.
“By bringing this first-of-a-kind LDES technology to market faster, we aim to rapidly bring its potential to communities everywhere — making reliable, affordable electricity available around the clock and supporting the resilience of grids as they integrate growing amounts of renewable energy sources.”
The CO₂ Battery, developed by Italy-based Energy Dome, is capable of storing clean energy for durations between 8 and 24 hours — significantly longer than the 4-hour window typical of lithium-ion batteries. This enables it to better match the timing of renewable generation with actual grid demand. According to Google, the partnership will support multiple commercial projects globally and help meet near-term electricity needs by 2030.
How It Works:
Energy Dome’s system stores energy by compressing CO₂ into a liquid using excess renewable electricity. When the grid requires power, the CO₂ is allowed to expand back into a hot, pressurized gas that spins a turbine, generating carbon-free electricity. “Much like steam escaping a pressure cooker,” this process delivers grid-ready power across critical timeframes.
Energy Dome has already achieved significant milestones. Its technology has successfully operated on Italy’s grid for over three years via a demonstration facility and now includes a full-scale 20MW/200MWh commercial plant. Commercial-scale contracts have also been signed in Italy, the US, and India.
Why LDES Matters:
Lithium-ion batteries have been instrumental in short-term grid support, but can’t meet the full range of clean energy needs. LDES fills that gap. A study by the Electric Power Research Institute highlights LDES as a cost-effective solution to integrate more renewable energy and increase grid flexibility. The LDES Council estimates that up to 8 TW of global deployment by 2040 could generate $540 billion in annual savings.
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“Google’s support for these shorter-duration batteries has helped the grids we rely on, from Belgium to Nevada, meet peak electricity demand and reduce the need to ramp up fossil fuel power plants.”
Google views Energy Dome’s solution as one of the most commercially ready options in its advanced energy tech pipeline. Its relatively quick path to scale makes it a near-term asset alongside Google’s other tools, like demand response in data centers.
Driving Market Adoption:
To push broader market readiness, Google is also backing a wider set of LDES technologies through commercial agreements and early-stage investments. This effort is paired with policy advocacy, aimed at ensuring clean energy markets value firm and flexible carbon-free power sources.
“We’re also advocating for clean energy policies, ensuring that energy markets fully value firm, flexible carbon-free technologies, and advancing policy measures that enable infrastructure essential for grid decarbonization and energy security.”
Through this strategic partnership and investment, Google is accelerating the commercialization of Energy Dome’s CO₂ Battery while laying the groundwork for a more resilient, low-carbon global electricity system.
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