NTPC Limited has launched carbon dioxide battery energy storage technology at its Kudgi power station. The project, developed by NTPC’s R&D division, NETRA, is being implemented in collaboration with Triveni Turbine Limited and Energy Dome, an Italian battery technology company. The carbon dioxide battery will have an energy capacity of 160 MWh. The deployment of this battery system is expected to support NTPC’s decarbonisation efforts while ensuring round-the-clock power supply.
Unlike battery energy storage systems (BESS), which rely on electrochemistry, the carbon dioxide battery operates on a closed Brayton thermodynamic cycle (a thermodynamic cycle that describes how gas turbines work), using anhydrous carbon as the process fluid. The system charges and discharges electricity by manipulating the physical state of carbon between vapor and liquid phases.
The carbon dioxide battery offers several advantages, including a lifespan exceeding 25 years, no reliance on critical minerals such as lithium or cobalt, minimal performance degradation, and 100 per cent depth of discharge. Additionally, it is not dependent on specific topographical conditions, making it adaptable to various locations.
