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Seasonal electricity storage in the form of hydrogen ready for scale-up
The demo operation of hydrogen production and storage in the USS2030 project has been successfully completed, showing that it is technically possible to offer hydrogen storage services on a scaled and commercial basis in depleted underground gas reservoirs.
In 2023, the world's first hydrogen storage facility was opened in an underground sandstone gas reservoir as part of the flagship project Underground Sun Storage 2030 (USS 2030) in the municipality of Gampern, Upper Austria. The project operation, consisting of two storage cycles, has been successfully completed. The technical feasibility of this promising and large-volume hydrogen storage technology was once again confirmed. Safe technical operation comparable to natural gas storage was achieved over the entire operating period.
The hydrogen quality achieved during storage meets the requirements for injection into a hydrogen pipeline infrastructure. This means that RAG Austria AG, together with the project partners involved, has taken a significant step towards the commercial application of safe, seasonal and large-volume storage of renewable energy in the form of hydrogen in natural underground reservoirs.
In Gampern in Upper Austria we are demonstrating what is possible and necessary to ensure a secure supply of green energy throughout the year and thus enable the energy transition.
Markus Mitteregger, CEO RAG Austria
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World’s first geological hydrogen storage facility
Large-volume storage of hydrogen enables energy transition while maintaining security of supply. With “Underground Sun Storage“, the world‘s first hydrogen storage facility in an underground porous reservoir, RAG Austria AG – Renewables and Gas – and its project partners were setting new international standards. Two years after the start of the project, the underground sun storage facility was opened on April 27, 2023.
In this unique cross-sector demonstration facility, solar energy was converted into green hydrogen by water electrolysis and stored in pure form in an underground natural gas reservoir in Gampern, Upper Austria.
“The challenge of a secure power supply in winter becomes even more obvious as the electrification of the heating sector increases.“
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Start oft the "Underground Sun Storage 2030" project
In the lead project "Underground Sun Storage 2030" (USS 2030), the safe, seasonal and large-scale storage of renewable energy in the form of hydrogen in underground gas reservoirs was developed. In addition, all partners involved in the project jointly gained valuable technical and economic knowledge for the development of a secure hydrogen supply.
In this research project, the only one of its kind in the world, renewable solar energy was converted into green hydrogen in a climate-neutral way by means of electrolysis and stored in a pure form in former natural gas reservoirs. Until 2025, interdisciplinary technical-scientific investigations for the energy future were carried out under real conditions at a small former natural gas reservoir in the municipality of Gampern (Upper Austria) under the leadership of RAG Austria AG together with the project partners. A customised research facility was built for this purpose.
