Periodic Reporting for period 3 - HYPSTER (Hydrogen pilot storage for large ecosystem replication)
Período documentado: 2024-01-01 hasta 2025-06-30
The project HyPSTER aims to demonstrate the industrial-scale operation of cyclic hydrogen storage in salt caverns to support the emergence of the hydrogen energy economy in Europe in line with overall Hydrogen Europe road-mapping. The cavern is located in Etrez, in the AuRA region. For the production of green hydrogen, the Etrez storage site will rely on local renewable energy sources (photovoltaic, hydroelectric) and a 1-MW electrolyser.
The project brings together 9 European partners including 2 RTOs for technology development, and 6 industries including 2 SME, plus 1 public-private cluster association to ensure maximum dissemination and uptake of HYPSTER results.
The specific objectives are to:
1) Define relevant cyclic tests to be performed based on modelling and the needs of emerging hydrogen regions across Europe
2) Demonstrate the viable operation of H2 cyclic storage for the full range of use-cases of emerging European hydrogen regions
3) Assess the economic feasibility of large-scale cyclic H2 storage to define the roadmap for future replication across the EU
4) Assess the risks and environmental impacts of H2 cyclic storage in salt caverns and provide guidelines for safety, regulations and standards
5) Commit at least 3 companies to using the hydrogen storage and 3 potential sites to replicate the cyclic hydrogen storage elsewhere in Europe on a commercial-scale by the end of the project
To achieve this, the following main phases have been identified:
• 2020: Definition of the regulatory framework for the project. Reception of financing by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, signature of the consortium agreement.
• 2021: Basic and detailed engineering studies.
• 2022: Construction of the hydrogen production platform and of the EZ53 Salt cavern.
• 2023-2025: Experimentation of hydrogen storage in a salt cavern and start hydrogen production.
The project brings together 9 European partners including 2 RTOs for technology development, and 6 industries including 2 SME, plus 1 public-private cluster association to ensure maximum dissemination and uptake of HYPSTER results.
The specific objectives are to:
1) Define relevant cyclic tests to be performed based on modelling and the needs of emerging hydrogen regions across Europe
2) Demonstrate the viable operation of H2 cyclic storage for the full range of use-cases of emerging European hydrogen regions
3) Assess the economic feasibility of large-scale cyclic H2 storage to define the roadmap for future replication across the EU
4) Assess the risks and environmental impacts of H2 cyclic storage in salt caverns and provide guidelines for safety, regulations and standards
5) Commit at least 3 companies to using the hydrogen storage and 3 potential sites to replicate the cyclic hydrogen storage elsewhere in Europe on a commercial-scale by the end of the project
To achieve this, the following main phases have been identified:
• 2020: Definition of the regulatory framework for the project. Reception of financing by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, signature of the consortium agreement.
• 2021: Basic and detailed engineering studies.
• 2022: Construction of the hydrogen production platform and of the EZ53 Salt cavern.
• 2023-2025: Experimentation of hydrogen storage in a salt cavern and start hydrogen production.
The key project achievements per WP are the following:
• WP1 activities: The modelling developed by INOVYN, ERM and STORENGY have helped determine the contributions salt caverns can make to H2 storage and what kind of services a salt cavern should provide to the market. These achievements have been fed into the demonstrator in the form of the cyclic tests profile.
• WP2 activities: ESK, BROUARD Consulting, ARMINES, in collaboration with STORENGY, have transferred methodologies originating from natural gas to hydrogen. These modelling tools allow the optimization of the plant operation from a technical and commercial point of view for the EZ53 cavern and future salt caverns. This WP also confirmed the geological potential of salt caverns as significant.
• WP3 activities: The WP3 activities were led by STORENGY. The WP3 activities started in January 2021, with the launch of design activities. The purchase order for the electrolyser was placed with ELOGEN in August 2021. The permit to store 3 tons of hydrogen in EZ53 was granted to STORENGY in May 2022. Construction began mid-2022, leading to a well workover in March 2023. The first hydrogen injection into the EZ53 well took place on October 3rd 2024, which was followed by the successful tightness testing completed in early November 2024. An additional quantity of 2.4 tons of hydrogen was then injected in November and December 2024. This was followed by over 100 cyclic tests which were completed in April 2025. Final venting and rebrining of the cavern were concluded on May 28th, 2025. The commissioning and start-up of the hydrogen production site is expected by the end of September 2025.
• WP4 activities: ERM developed a cost analysis to understand the factors affecting the business case for salt cavern storage and costs for the end user. The work done also enables to refine the approach for identification of suitable sites for future H2 storage projects in Europe. The cost of H2 storage has been shown to have the potential to reach c.0.20-1 €/kg of H2 consumed by end users.
• WP5 activities: INERIS, working closely with STORENGY and other partners, have assessed and defined ways of mitigating the risks related to storing H2, in terms of industrial safety. INERIS have been able to draw recommendations for the sector for future deployments.
• WP6 activities: AXELERA and project partners have not only successfully disseminated the findings from the project but also gathered key strategic information. In total, so far, there have been: 17 scientific publications, 46 presentations, 3 podcasts, and 2 workshops. There has been a high interest worldwide for the project: from Europe, the US and China. These efforts were recognized with one award – so far – and many articles in the press and the project was flagged as exemplary by the EU innovation radar.
• WP7 activities: ERM have successfully managed all the partners, keeping track of all the actions to be carried out, organizing and issuing the minutes of the steering committees, and advising all the partners in the process of preparing their financial and technical reports.
• WP8 activities: EQUINOR have successfully launched the micro-biological analyses of brine samples taken at the onset of the project and with samples taken right at the end of the hydrogen venting and cavern rebrining.
• WP1 activities: The modelling developed by INOVYN, ERM and STORENGY have helped determine the contributions salt caverns can make to H2 storage and what kind of services a salt cavern should provide to the market. These achievements have been fed into the demonstrator in the form of the cyclic tests profile.
• WP2 activities: ESK, BROUARD Consulting, ARMINES, in collaboration with STORENGY, have transferred methodologies originating from natural gas to hydrogen. These modelling tools allow the optimization of the plant operation from a technical and commercial point of view for the EZ53 cavern and future salt caverns. This WP also confirmed the geological potential of salt caverns as significant.
• WP3 activities: The WP3 activities were led by STORENGY. The WP3 activities started in January 2021, with the launch of design activities. The purchase order for the electrolyser was placed with ELOGEN in August 2021. The permit to store 3 tons of hydrogen in EZ53 was granted to STORENGY in May 2022. Construction began mid-2022, leading to a well workover in March 2023. The first hydrogen injection into the EZ53 well took place on October 3rd 2024, which was followed by the successful tightness testing completed in early November 2024. An additional quantity of 2.4 tons of hydrogen was then injected in November and December 2024. This was followed by over 100 cyclic tests which were completed in April 2025. Final venting and rebrining of the cavern were concluded on May 28th, 2025. The commissioning and start-up of the hydrogen production site is expected by the end of September 2025.
• WP4 activities: ERM developed a cost analysis to understand the factors affecting the business case for salt cavern storage and costs for the end user. The work done also enables to refine the approach for identification of suitable sites for future H2 storage projects in Europe. The cost of H2 storage has been shown to have the potential to reach c.0.20-1 €/kg of H2 consumed by end users.
• WP5 activities: INERIS, working closely with STORENGY and other partners, have assessed and defined ways of mitigating the risks related to storing H2, in terms of industrial safety. INERIS have been able to draw recommendations for the sector for future deployments.
• WP6 activities: AXELERA and project partners have not only successfully disseminated the findings from the project but also gathered key strategic information. In total, so far, there have been: 17 scientific publications, 46 presentations, 3 podcasts, and 2 workshops. There has been a high interest worldwide for the project: from Europe, the US and China. These efforts were recognized with one award – so far – and many articles in the press and the project was flagged as exemplary by the EU innovation radar.
• WP7 activities: ERM have successfully managed all the partners, keeping track of all the actions to be carried out, organizing and issuing the minutes of the steering committees, and advising all the partners in the process of preparing their financial and technical reports.
• WP8 activities: EQUINOR have successfully launched the micro-biological analyses of brine samples taken at the onset of the project and with samples taken right at the end of the hydrogen venting and cavern rebrining.
HYPSTER’s main goal is to demonstrate the operation of hydrogen storage cyclability in salt caverns to support the emergence of the hydrogen energy economy in Europe in line with overall Hydrogen Europe road-mapping. Specific objectives to progress on the state of the art include:
Define large-scale hydrogen storage needs and utilisation profiles among H2 ecosystems and identify cyclic tests to be demonstrated
Develop and deliver replicable tools and methods for cyclic H2 storage in salt caverns
Demonstrate the viable operation of H2 cyclic storage in salt caverns for the full range of common European use-cases
Assess the economic feasibility of large-scale cyclic H2 storage in salt caverns to define the roadmap for future replication across the EU
Assess the risks and environmental impacts of H2 cyclic storage in salt caverns and provide guidelines for safety, regulation and normative adaptations in Europe
Define large-scale hydrogen storage needs and utilisation profiles among H2 ecosystems and identify cyclic tests to be demonstrated
Develop and deliver replicable tools and methods for cyclic H2 storage in salt caverns
Demonstrate the viable operation of H2 cyclic storage in salt caverns for the full range of common European use-cases
Assess the economic feasibility of large-scale cyclic H2 storage in salt caverns to define the roadmap for future replication across the EU
Assess the risks and environmental impacts of H2 cyclic storage in salt caverns and provide guidelines for safety, regulation and normative adaptations in Europe