International research into underground hydrogen storage

Together with Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), TNO coordinates international research into underground hydrogen storage

Commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK), TNO’s Advisory Group for Economic Affairs and Climate (TNO AGE) is coordinating an international research task aimed at demonstrating and upscaling underground hydrogen storage. It does this within the context of the  Hydrogen Technology Collaboration Program (Hydrogen TCP)  of the  International Energy Agency (IEA).  Large-scale hydrogen storage is expected to become an important, and possibly essential, technology in the energy system of the future. 

Large-scale underground hydrogen storage

Replacing hydrocarbons such as natural gas with hydrogen as a clean energy carrier will require large-scale storage capacity. Large-scale underground storage is necessary to balance variable energy production (from solar and wind) and energy consumption; in other words, to balance seasonal heat demand and variable electricity production. Underground reservoirs, such as depleted gas fields and salt caverns, are essential to realise the required storage volumes. It is necessary to accelerate the development of the required technologies to reach the goals included in the climate-neutral 2050. It is important that this is done safely and responsibly.

Hydrogen TCP aims to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a renewable energy carrier    

The IEA has established several ‘Technology Collaboration Programs’ (TCPs) on topics related to energy and climate. Hydrogen TCP is one such network exploring the different aspects of the hydrogen value chain. Countries and organisations work together in these international networks to accelerate and implement the required technologies.

Hydrogen TCP was created with the aim of accelerating hydrogen applications and to bundle and share knowledge through international cooperation. The ambition is to contribute to research, to be a technology monitor for current and future activities, to contribute to the drafting of new regulations, and to create a social embedment for a responsible development. Twenty-six member countries and 6 main sponsors are taking part of the hydrogen TCP task. Every year, different research tasks are formulated. One of these is the research task  Underground  Hydrogen Storage (UHS). 

Research task Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS)

This research task focuses on research and innovations into the technical, economic, and social aspects of large-scale underground hydrogen storage. It considers different types of underground reservoirs, such as depleted gas fields, salt caverns, and deep aquifers. Some technologies have yet to prove that they can be developed safely and cost-effectively. 

A lot of (fundamental) research into hydrogen storage is currently being done worldwide. This research focuses on many different aspects, ranging from the interaction of microbes on hydrogen in the subsurface to the design of  pilots  for the storage of hydrogen. The aim of this task is to bring together results from existing research, to stimulate and direct new research, and to support policy and development with guidelines and recommendations.

Do you want to receive more information? Contact Serge van Gessel via the blue ‘mail directly’ button below.