Development and preparation of a storage research platform of green hydrogen

PROJECT BLOG (IN GERMAN)

► Article of 15 February 2020 in MDR (external link)

► Article of June 2019 Special Newsletter Hydrogen + Fuel Cells on the occasion of f-cell 2019 (external link)

Project goals

In the joint project the key players have come together to implement the approach of a storage research platform (SRP) for green hydrogen and continue it until a functioning business model is established. The storage research platform (SRP) is a beacon project for the development and testing of materials and technologies for large-scale H2 storage from renewable electricity. In this way, a real lab is created in which the necessary knowledge can be obtained from a realistic operation. The project will be worked on in 3 phases.

In phase I of H2- Forschungskaverne (= research cavern) the development and official approval of a SRP for hydrogen storage in a salt cavern will take place. Some key research focuses of this subproject are:     

• Development of the system concept for the research operation of a large H2 cavern including a comparison of variants with cost analysis,     
• Detailing of the plant and operating concept for the operating license, preparation of the preliminary planning and approval planning and the associated documents, definition of the safety requirements (explosion and fire protection, HAZOP etc.),     
• Implementation of the sample approval process at the responsible authorities (cavern storage, OTA, electrolysis, pipeline, wind farm).

As a result an operating license, an overview of costs and a final financing concept for investments should be presented.

The HYPOS H2-UGS project will provide parallel accompanying research on geomechanical, microbiological and safety-related suitability. The findings are also used for the H2-Forschungskaverne.

Application

The storage facility will be built in Bad Lauchstädt (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) operated by the VNG Gasspeicher GmbH. After construction the storage facility will be transferred to research operations (phase II and III of SRP). Due to the location-specific favorable location, the cavern can be connected to the existing hydrogen infrastructure in the central German chemical triangle (Leuna-Schkopau-Bitterfeld) via a natural gas pipeline to be redesignated.

In addition to the storage facilities, the construction of a wind farm and an associated electrolyser with a capacity of 30 MW is planned at the site. The cavern is supplied directly with green hydrogen. The project is an important pillar of the Reallabor Energy Park Bad Lauchstaedt in the HYPOS region.