Uniper Puts NG Storage Facility Krummhörn to the Test for Storing Hydrogen

• Project to store 100% hydrogen in the former Krummhörn natural gas storage facility
• Construction and operation implemented on a large scale for the first time
• Commissioning of the demonstration plant with a storage volume of up to 250,000 m³ of hydrogen planned by 2024

Large-volume hydrogen storage is an essential element of the energy transition and the development of a hydrogen economy in Germany. It is only this way market participants are able to respond to fluctuations in supply and demand in a flexible manner.

Electricity from renewable energies can be converted into hydrogen - so-called green hydrogen - by means of electrolysis and stored in underground gas storage facilities.

The existing gas storage facilities are designed for natural gas and need to be converted for the use of hydrogen. Uniper will test this on a large scale and in a real environment at the former salt cavern storage facility in Krummhörn in northern Germany, which has not been used commercially since 2017. For this purpose, a new cavern will be sunk using an existing well. The storage facility will be one of the first of its kind and is expected to be operational by 2024. Uniper will invest around €10 million in the green future project with a storage volume of up to 250,000 m3 hydrogen.

Doug Waters, Managing Director Uniper Energy Storage, says: "Uniper has decided to move forward with this project independent of other funded projects in order to test the technology and processes as quickly as possible. Our goal is to develop a storage solution for green hydrogen on a commercial scale and later offer it on the market. The storage capability of green electricity is one of the core issues of the energy transition and an essential building block for a CO2-free future."

The proximity to Wilhelmshaven enables the connection to the Uniper project "Green Wilhelmshaven". There, Uniper is developing two projects for green hydrogen at the same time: Firstly, an import terminal for ammonia is planned, which will be able to convert the ammonia back into hydrogen. Secondly, Uniper envisages a large-scale electrolysis plant with a capacity of up to 1,000 MW to produce green hydrogen.

With decades of experience and a pioneering spirit, Uniper is driving forward the energy transition and enabling a secure energy supply in the future through the storage of natural gas, hydrogen and other green gases.