Start-Up Energy Dome Leverages CO2 to Store Renewable Power
Published 20 July 2022
Italian start-up Energy Dome developed a solution that uses carbon dioxide to generate power within a closed loop system. The company, which recently raised $11m in funding, says its cost-effective, eco-friendly technology could help facilitate the transition to cleaner energy.
After two years in the works, Energy Dome launched a large-scaled trial plant in Sardinia in June 2022. The start-up’s technology relies on a thermodynamic process that effectively uses carbon dioxide to store renewable energy for up to 24 hours, until it is dispatched to the grid. The storage is carried out in an inflatable dome-shaped structure, which resembles a tennis-court bubble. The infrastructure is easy to install, and has the potential to be implemented at a large scale in different locations.
Unlike existing solutions, this technology is emission-free and allows for high-density energy storage without the need for extreme cold temperatures. Price-wise – where typically a kilowatt-hour (kWh) for a lithium-ion power storage system comes up to $300 – Energy Dome’s solution costs $200 per kWh using its initial trial facility, and could reach $100 per kWh if the company scales up to a few dozen large storage plants.
Renewable energy usage is expected to grow exponentially, and become the largest source of electricity globally by 2025 (IEA, 2020). However, solar and wind power are not available consistently in all regions, and the need for storage solutions will likely soar as we increasingly rely on these energy sources. Cost-efficient and easy-to-deploy solutions like Energy Dome’s CO2-fuelled storage plants will help facilitate the widespread transition to renewables.
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