Hydrogen as a future energy source
Hydrogen will increasingly play a decisive role in the energy transition. We are driving the development of salt caverns for the underground storage of hydrogen in northwestern Germany and intend to provide a working gas capacity of up to 600 GWh by the end of the 2030s. The first commercial hydrogen storage facility is expected to be operational at our storage site in Krummhörn with a minimum working gas capacity of 230 GWh by the end of 2035. The HPC (Hydrogen Pilot Cavern) Krummhörn pilot project will provide us with conclusive results by 2026, which will be of significant benefit for the implementation of further commercial hydrogen storage facilities.
Find out more about the diverse and innovative possibilities of underground hydrogen storage in this informative interview between Kevin O'Donovan and Christian Kosack, Manager Storage Intergrity Systems at Uniper. Among other things, the discussion focuses on the innovative HPC project (Hydrogen Pilot Cavern Krummhörn) in northern Germany, which impresses with its pioneering work in the field of hydrogen caverns, as well as hydrogen storage options in porous rock formations in southern Germany. In addition, it will discuss why the much-needed technology for these storage options is not yet fully available and what ambitious steps are being taken to overcome these challenges in the future.
Current hydrogen storage projects
The storage of pure hydrogen in cavern storage is technically feasible and very efficient due to the rapid feed-in and withdrawal, i.e. H. they can compensate for short-term fluctuations in demand. Pore storage, which occurs primarily in southern Germany and requires individual consideration, has high volumes that can be used for seasonal storage. That's why we're currently running test projects in both types of storage. Below you will find further information about our current hydrogen storage projects.
Porous rock storage
In our HyStorage research project, we are testing the integrity of porous rock storages for hydrogen storage. At our Bierwang site in Bavaria we examine the influence of different hydrogen concentrations on porous rock formations. The measurement data and results generated, will help to fundamentally assess the suitability of the storage location for the future storage of hydrogen.
Cavern Storage
The HPC Krummhörn project aims to test the construction and operation of a 100% hydrogen storage facility under real conditions. During the test operation, we check equipment, materials and substances for H2 compatibility and gather experience regarding technology and operation in the storage of hydrogen. For this purpose, we are using our salt cavern storage facility in Krummhörn in northern Germany, which has not been used commercially since 2017. The demonstration plant is scheduled to go into operation by 2024.
The Salinae project is a potential salt cavern hydrogen storage development in Cheshire, in the UK.
The site has the potential to store up to 400GWh of hydrogen, across up to 13 caverns. This could help to provide confidence for industries looking to fuel switch to hydrogen and away from fossil fuels, by providing a reliable source of hydrogen, complementing other sources.
Uniper is working on the Salinae Hydrogen Storage project with British Salt who own the mineral rights and whose existing operations are on the site.
With the results of the hydrogen pilot cavern project HPC Krummhörn we plan to convert the former natural gas storage facility in Krummhörn into a commercial hydrogen storage site.
In this energy transition project, we aim to commission the first commercial hydrogen cavern with a working gas capacity of approximately 200 GWh by the end of 2035. In total, the project includes the planning of 10 salt caverns for storing pure, preferably green hydrogen and provide the market with a total working gas capacity of approx. 2000 GWh.
The project intends to expand one of Uniper's largest natural gas storage facilities in Epe, Westphalia, to the commercial hydrogen storage underground. In a first phase, we plan to build two salt caverns with a working gas capacity of 240 GWh for 100% hydrogen. The location is ideal due to its proximity to the Ruhr area and hydrogen networks currently being planned.
