HyUsPRe

October 1, 2021 – December 31, 2023

Prof. Dr. Leonhard Ganzer

The HyUsPRe project is investigating the feasibility and potential of large-scale storage of renewable hydrogen in porous reservoirs in Europe. This includes identifying suitable geological reservoirs for hydrogen storage in Europe and assessing the technical and economic feasibility of large-scale storage in these reservoirs by 2050. This assessment, accompanied by environmental, social, and regulatory perspectives for implementation, will enable the development of a roadmap for widespread hydrogen storage by 2050 and highlight the role of large-scale hydrogen storage in achieving a zero-emission energy system in the EU by 2050.

This project has two specific objectives. The first objective focuses on assessing the technical feasibility, risks, and potential of large-scale underground hydrogen storage in porous reservoirs in Europe. HyUsPRe will determine the key geochemical, microbiological, flow, and transport processes in porous reservoirs in the presence of hydrogen through a combination of laboratory-scale experiments and integrated modeling, provide more accurate cost estimates, and determine the potential economic benefits of hydrogen storage in porous reservoirs. Suitable storage sites will be identified and their hydrogen storage potential assessed. The second objective addresses the development of a roadmap for the implementation of geological hydrogen storage by 2050. The proximity of hydrogen storage sites to large renewable energy infrastructures and the amount of renewable energy that can be buffered against fluctuating demand will be taken into account in these studies. This roadmap is intended to serve as the basis for the future implementation of hydrogen storage in porous media.