Germany needs to add up to 41 TWh of hydrogen storage capacity

Germany will have to build up to 41 TWh of hydrogen storage capacity in order to be able to store enough energy to achieve its climate targets, a study has shown.

Gas storage systems currently in operation across Germany could be converted to store about 32 TWh of hydrogen but the climate targets set by the federal government will require the construction of additional facilities of between 15 TWh and 41 TWh.

The study was carried out by DBI-GTI Gas Technology Institute gGmbH on behalf of the German Gas, Oil and Geoenergy Association (BVEG), gas and water association DVGW and gas storage association INES.

The upgrade of the existing 31 cavern facilities and four pore reservoirs to store hydrogen will cost EUR 45 million and EUR 46.5 million per unit, respectively.

To have the necessary storage capacity, however, Germany needs to build between 15 and 40 cavern storage facilities.

In total, the development of the hydrogen storage infrastructure will require cumulative investments of up to EUR 12.8 billion (USD 13.38bn), the study shows.

Developing these storage systems will be challenging for the storage industry and it will need political support, INES managing director Sebastian Bleschke concluded.

The estimates in the study are based on the German government's long-term target for hydrogen storage capacity of between 47 TWh and 73 TWh which is necessary for reaching greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050.

(EUR 1 = USD 1.046)

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