Giant bubble of CO2 to store renewable energy for at least 10 hours

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on CleanTechnica or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: A new energy storage project, the Columbia Energy Storage Project in Wisconsin, will use carbon dioxide (CO2) to store renewable energy for over 10 hours
• Developed by the Italian company Energy Dome, this system is hosted by Alliant Energy and aims to support the integration of more renewable energy into the grid by providing long-duration energy storage

🔭 The context: Energy Dome's technology uses a closed-loop CO2 system, converting the gas into a supercritical state for storage and then using it to generate electricity when needed
• This method is more efficient for long-term storage compared to lithium-ion batteries
• The project has garnered attention and funding, including a $7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to accelerate its development

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Utilizing CO2 for energy storage offers a dual benefit: supporting the expansion of renewable energy while reusing carbon emissions in a closed-loop system, minimizing environmental impact
• This innovative approach could reduce reliance on fossil fuels and enhance grid stability as more renewable sources are deployed

⏭️ What's next: The project is entering its Phase I planning and community engagement stage, which will last 16-22 months
• Further phases could involve additional funding, scaling up the technology, and wider implementation. Success in Wisconsin could pave the way for similar projects globally

💬 One quote: Energy Dome describes its system: “When energy needs to be released, the CO2 is evaporated and expanded into a turbine, and then returned back to the atmospheric gasholder, ready for the next charging cycle”

📈 One stat: The U.S. Department of Energy has committed up to $30 million in cost-sharing to support the project’s full development

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