[ storage ]
SaltHy ( Storage Alignment with Load and Transport of Hydrogen ) project in northern Germany . As part of the project , the existing natural gas storage facility in Harsefeld will be expanded to store green hydrogen . The storage facility near Hamburg will be constructed in the second part of this decade at a depth of around 1,200 – 1,500 metres and will initially hold up to 5,000 tonnes of hydrogen . Photo credit : Storengy Deutschland GmbH
SaltHy : how underground hydrogen storage is supporting the European Hydrogen Backbone
Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier that can be stored using power-to-gas technology . It is therefore a key building block in the energy transition and can help ensure a secure energy supply in the event of short- or longer-term fluctuations .
By Catherine Gras , CEO of Storengy UK & Germany
Storage-specific challenges
Despite all these advantages , there are numerous challenges that need to be overcome when switching from natural gas to hydrogen or expanding existing natural gas storage facilities to store hydrogen . For instance , hydrogen has a lower energy content than natural gas . Consequently , converting only existing salt caverns would significantly reduce storage volumes , leaving Europe with only 4 % of its current volume . In order to increase this potential , new storage facilities will therefore need to be built .
As Europe ’ s largest operator of natural gas storage facilities , Storengy – an ENGIE company – will play its part by constructing several hydrogen storage facilities with the aim of achieving a total hydrogen storage capacity of 1 TWh across France , the United Kingdom , and Germany by 2030 . In line with these ambitions , Storengy Deutschland is currently planning to construct its first hydrogen storage facility in Germany , called SaltHy ( Storage Alignment with Load and Transport of Hydrogen ).
Hydrogen Tech World | Issue 11 | August 2023 35