Hydrogen Injection Successfully Completed in the H2CAST Etzel Pilot Project

In the H2CAST Etzel hydrogen pilot project, two retrofitted salt caverns were filled with approximately 90 tonnes of hydrogen for the first time. The project aims to test large-scale underground hydrogen storage under real-world conditions.

With the injection now completed, the project enters its next phase, which will focus in particular on continuous operation and the quality of gas processing. Prior to this, it had already been demonstrated that the existing caverns are fundamentally suitable for hydrogen storage and that the required level of tightness can be ensured.

The project is intended to help make existing gas caverns usable for the hydrogen economy and to establish key prerequisites for market ramp-up. The insights gained could serve as a blueprint for the development of additional storage facilities. In the long term, the Etzel site could play an important role as a storage and infrastructure hub in the European hydrogen market.

Project manager Carsten Reekers pointed to challenges in hydrogen procurement. Filling the test cavern highlighted the still early stage of market development. In particular, at the beginning in 2023, high-pressure trailers were only available to a limited extent. Combined with the lack of local production—sometimes requiring transport over distances of up to 1,000 kilometres—this led to high costs. The supply situation has since improved with the establishment of nearby hydrogen production.