Integration of a Hydrogen Storage Cavern into the Carbon2Chem® Project

Underground salt caverns allow large hydrogen storage capacities at low specific costs. Such storage is required to balance fluctuating hydrogen supply and constant demand of large consumers as a methanol plant from the Carbon2Chem^® project. The geological and technical feasibility for developing up to 168 Mio. m³ (n.c.) or 595 GWh of working gas capacity until 2040 at a location in the Lower Rhine Bay is described. Various options for realization as well as a novel process for cavern leaching parallel to hydrogen storage operation are evaluated. Further work is required including geological exploration and optimization of brine production. The main hurdles for investment decisions are the political uncertainties on the hydrogen storage market design and on the ramp-up of the hydrogen market.