India’s largest power producer, NTPC Ltd, has launched the country’s first carbon dioxide (CO2) battery energy storage project at its Kudgi plant. The 160MWh plant, developed in collaboration with Italian energy storage company Energy Dome and executed by Triveni Turbine Limited, aims to stabilize India’s grid by storing excess renewable energy for later use. CO2 battery technology is a crucial component in India’s transition to renewable energy, as it can store energy for long periods, unlike traditional battery storage which degrades over time.
The CO2 battery works by compressing and liquefying CO2 when energy is plentiful, and then expanding it back into gas to drive a turbine when energy is needed. This closed-loop system makes it durable and emission-free, as the CO2 is recycled without being released into the atmosphere. The benefits of CO2 battery technology include a long lifespan (over 25 years), minimal degradation, and no use of rare or toxic materials.
NTPC’s push into long-duration energy storage is part of its broader diversification strategy, supporting government initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India). The project is also expected to support India’s ambitious goal of increasing non-fossil fuel capacity to 500GW by 2030. According to NTPC’s Chairman & Managing Director, Gurdeep Singh, the project is a “landmark development” in the domain of long-duration energy storage, offering “very long lifetime, no need of critical minerals, topography agnostic, minimal performance degradation”.
The partnership between NTPC, Energy Dome, and Triveni Turbines is expected to open up new opportunities in the field of electric energy storage, while also promoting the development of a local supply chain and reducing India’s dependence on imported critical minerals. As India’s energy storage landscape evolves, CO2 battery technology is set to play a significant role in supporting the country’s transition to a low-carbon future.