Study Confirms RAG Austria’s Successful Hydrogen Storage Operations

The results of the “Underground Sun Storage 2030” demonstration project have been published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. According to RAG Austria, the scientific paper documents the world’s first successful demonstration of pure hydrogen storage in a depleted natural gas reservoir.

The publication focuses on the project’s technical implementation, operational experience gained from two storage cycles, the quality of the recovered hydrogen, and the safety and integrity of the storage facility. It also assesses the technology’s technical feasibility and operational performance under real-world conditions.

The results show that green hydrogen can be stored safely, seasonally and on a large scale in porous sandstone reservoirs. Such underground storage facilities could therefore make an important contribution to the future energy supply.

Results Confirmed Through Peer Review

The publication provides scientific documentation of the demonstration project’s results, which have also been validated through an international peer-review process. According to RAG Austria, this is the first comprehensive, peer-reviewed scientific publication confirming the successful completion of the “Underground Sun Storage 2030” demonstration operations.

The project’s achievement of Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL 7) is particularly significant. The operational data show that the technology has progressed beyond the research and development phase and taken a decisive step towards industrial-scale deployment. Underground hydrogen storage facilities in sandstone formations could therefore serve as an essential component of a future energy system.

The publication provides a scientific basis for the further scaling of the technology and for investments in a European hydrogen infrastructure. As a citable reference, it is also intended to provide funding bodies, public authorities, research institutions and industry partners with transparency and traceability, while supporting further research, demonstration and investment projects.

The scientific paper was prepared in collaboration with co-authors from Axiom GmbH and the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU).

Project Funding

The “Underground Sun Storage 2030” flagship project received financial support from the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG project no. 880764). Further information is available at www.uss-2030.at.

The EUH2STARS flagship project was funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and the European Union under grant agreement no. 101137798. Further information is available at www.euh2stars.eu. Additional capital expenditure was partly funded by Kommunalkredit Public Consulting (KPC application no. C062754).

The International Journal of Hydrogen Energy is one of the world’s leading scientific journals covering hydrogen technologies, the hydrogen economy and renewable energy systems. It publishes research findings on topics including hydrogen production, storage, transport and use.