The HyStorage research project aims to investigate the impact of hydrogen on porous rock formations. This is to determine the feasibility and integrity of pore storage facilities for hydrogen storage. For this purpose, the project team set up a specialised gas storage test unit. This was done at a designated drill site at Uniper Energy Storage's Bierwang site. Commissioning is currently underway and the first injection of hydrogen will take place from September.
The hydrogen storage test aims to inject different mixtures of methane and hydrogen with a hydrogen content of 5%, 10% and 25% into natural gas. This will be done in a smaller former natural gas reservoir. After a period of about three months, the mixture will be pumped back up. The storage capacity is independent of the existing natural gas storage in Bierwang.
Promising project
"Hydrogen plays a crucial role in our new strategy and HyStorage is part of its implementation. HyStorage is a promising project to test the existing natural gas infrastructure for the possible transition to green hydrogen. It will also help accelerate the energy transition while ensuring security of supply for our customers. The project will provide insight into how porous rock storage and technical gas facilities will perform as the hydrogen economy takes off." So says Doug Waters, Managing Director of Uniper Energy Storage.
Renewable energy sources
“Demand for storage capacity will grow as renewable energy sources expand. Realistic data is needed to enable well-informed decisions to be made. Storage in porous rock not only has enormous potential to provide flexibility for the emerging hydrogen market; it also offers the possibility of connecting to European hydrogen corridors.”
Underground hydrogen storage
Hydrogen is becoming a key element for decarbonising the European energy market. Besides the operation of pure hydrogen pipelines, the share of hydrogen in the natural gas grid will also increase. This is how it will reach underground gas storage facilities. Storage facilities in porous rock have the great advantage of being able to provide a large volume for volatile renewable energy sources.
Exchange Hydrogen transport and storage
"The future hydrogen infrastructure must operate safely and reliably. This includes the exchange between hydrogen transport and hydrogen storage. Monitoring gas quality during injection and withdrawal is our focus in this project. This will allow us to transport hydrogen or natural gas-hydrogen mixtures within the required quality as part of the energy mix of the future," says Dr Thomas Hüwener, member of OGE's executive board.
Experience
"With our 'Underground Sun Storage' projects in Austria, we have gained valuable experience on hydrogen production and its storage in reservoirs of porous rock. We see the sustainable use of our hydrogen storage facilities and gas infrastructure as an essential contribution to enabling the future of renewable energy and maintaining security of supply," said Markus Mitteregger, CEO of RAG Austria.
Decarbonisation
"HyStorage contributes to the decarbonisation of our business. Through HyStorage, we want to better explore the storage of gas-hydrogen mixtures in underground storage, also with a view to possible investments in hydrogen infrastructure," said Egbert Laege, CEO of SEFE.
Collecting data
Hydrogen storage in reservoirs of porous rock requires individual site investigations. The expertise of the experienced project partners and the scientific support of the test ensure that the collected data are fully analysed and evaluated. This is necessary so that reliable technical assessments for hydrogen storage in porous rock formations can be expected as early as 2024.
Consortium
Uniper Energy Storage is the consortium’s project leader, the operator and the party responsible for the trial in accordance with mining legislation. The consortium also comprises the companies OGE, RAG Austria, SEFE Securing Energy for Europe and NAFTA, which are contributing their expertise. In addition, the consortium is supported by interdisciplinary partners from industry and academia. The project has been approved by the Southern Bavarian Mining Authority.
Source: Uniper, Photo: The HyStorage hydrogen storage project is being carried out at the BW B6 drilling site in the Bierwang storage facility. (Source: Uniper Energy Storage)
