The State Electricity Commission (SEC) has unveiled plans for a new energy innovation precinct in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley, featuring the state’s first long-duration battery project.
Developed in partnership with global clean-tech firm Energy Dome, the facility will mark Australia’s first commercial use of closed-loop, compressed carbon dioxide (CO2) energy storage.
The 143-hectare hub, dubbed SEC Energy Works, will be located in Hazelwood North.
The flagship project is a 20-megawatt facility capable of continuously injecting electricity into the grid for 10 to 12 hours.
While shorter-duration batteries of two to four hours have proliferated across Australia to manage brief demand peaks, this long-duration system is designed to firm variable wind and solar energy, ensuring around-the-clock grid reliability.
SEC CEO Chris Miller stated that long-duration storage will play a foundational role in Victoria’s future energy grid.
“As an integrated generator and retailer of 100 per cent renewable electricity to commercial and industrial customers, we envisage long-duration energy storage will play a critical role in balancing our portfolio, enabling SEC to provide additional support to the system during multi-hour or multi-day wind or solar droughts,” said Miller.
Energy Dome Founder and CEO Claudio Spadacini added that the CO2 battery utilises compressor and turbine technologies familiar to the local workforce, supporting the region’s transition from coal while maintaining vital engineering skills.
As Victoria advances toward its 65 per cent renewable energy target by 2030, wider deployment of longer-duration storage is seen as critical for grid security.
Miller said the SEC’s involvement would help prove these newer technologies on a commercial scale within the National Electricity Market, providing clearer signals for private investors.
The project builds on the SEC’s expanding portfolio, bringing its total committed assets to 1,024 megawatts. Other major assets include the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub in Plumpton and the nearby Delburn Wind Farm.
Planning and design for the new CO2 facility have officially begun, with early stakeholder and community consultation currently underway.