Austria has launched the world’s first pilot project for underground hydrogen storage

Austrian RAG has launched the world’s first pilot project for underground hydrogen storage at a former gas depot in Rubensdorf.

The pilot project aims to demonstrate the role hydrogen can play in seasonal energy storage. The pilot project will store 1.2 million cubic meters of hydrogen, equivalent to 4.2 GWh of electricity. The stored hydrogen will be produced by a 2 MW proton exchange membrane cell supplied by Cummins, which will initially operate at base load to produce sufficient hydrogen for storage; Later in the project, the cell will operate in a more flexible way to transfer excess renewable power to the grid.

The pilot project aims to complete hydrogen storage and use by the end of this year.

Hydrogen energy is a promising energy carrier, which can be generated by hydroelectricity from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy. However, the volatile nature of renewable energy makes hydrogen storage essential for a stable energy supply. Seasonal storage is designed to store hydrogen energy for several months to balance out seasonal variations in renewable energy, an important challenge in integrating hydrogen energy into the energy system.

The RAG Underground hydrogen storage pilot project is an important step in realizing this vision. The Rubensdorf site, formerly a gas storage facility in Austria, has a mature and available infrastructure, making it an attractive location for hydrogen storage. The hydrogen storage pilot at the Rubensdorf site will demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of underground hydrogen storage, which has a capacity of up to 12 million cubic meters.

The pilot project is supported by Austria’s Federal Ministry of Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Transport, Innovation and Technology and is part of the European Commission’s Hydrogen strategy, which aims to promote the creation of a European hydrogen economy.

While the pilot project has the potential to pave the way for large-scale hydrogen storage, there are still plenty of challenges to overcome. One of the challenges is the high cost of hydrogen storage, which needs to be drastically reduced in order to achieve large-scale deployment. Another challenge is the safety of hydrogen storage, which is a highly flammable gas. Underground hydrogen storage can provide a safe and economical solution for large-scale hydrogen storage and become one of the solutions to these challenges.

In conclusion, RAG’s underground hydrogen storage pilot project in Rubensdorf is an important milestone in the development of Austria’s hydrogen economy. The pilot project will demonstrate the potential of underground hydrogen storage for seasonal energy storage and pave the way for large-scale deployment of hydrogen energy. While there are still plenty of challenges to overcome, the pilot project is undoubtedly an important step towards a more sustainable and decarbonized energy system.