WP1: Project management & coordination
- Set up tools to monitor project progress & Partner compliance with the Grant Agreement; & support technical, strategic, administrative, financial, & contractual coordination; both within the Consortium & with the CH JU. ERM was hired to support (PMO)
- A regularly updated collaborative platform enables internal communication (Partners & Work Packages (WP)) & keeps Partners informed of their roles/obligations
- Structured meetings ensure effective communication with a shared, updated project schedule
- A project plans were drafted to guide project Quality & Risk management
WP2: Manosque Demonstrator objectives; conceptual design; scientific developments; & application to industrial scale replicators
- WP2 partners started collecting data on caverns GA & GB (Manosque)
- Methodologies for subsurface, skid unit & surface designs were published
- Armines is gathering data for an experimental program
- Other partners advanced R&D on replication & H2 storage modelling using sonar data, including predictive cavern cycle modelling
- Partners proposed a Mechanical Integrity Test (MIT) & tightness test for the demonstrator, & developed a bench to study H2 dissolution in brine & water vaporization kinetics
- Replicability activities started in Harsefeld (Germany), building on insights from current/ past projects to explore storage facility development at this location
- Collaborating with WP5 (T5.3) WP2 partners initiated permitting discussions with competent authorities (DREAL)
WP3: Demonstration TRL8 of H2 storage & cyclability in gas cavern
WP3 activities are related to developing the Demonstrator & fed by the preliminary definition & conceptual design studies produced in April 2025 (WP2)
- The basis of design of the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) started in sequence for surface facilities
- Partners involved participated in:
1. discussions on the pilot conceptual design
2. the basis of design for the FEED with a new optimized set of operating conditions
- Meetings/ discussions occurred for the different package interfaces
- Contacts with Geosel are pursued to access information on brine facilities & request support for brine supply/disposal during well integrity tests (MIT) & cycling period
- For the subsurface, progress was made on MIT detailed program & on the H2 wellhead & completion design
WP4: From regional implementation to market integration along EU H2 value chain
WP4 first developed storylines for 2 replication projects (deliverable D4.1):
1. GeoH2: Based on desk research, interviews & workshops, as well as expertise from StoSAS, NaTran & Capenergies. The analysis covers H2 production, offtake, import/export (incl. cross-border), & electricity network constraints in Southeastern France
2. SaltHy: context was more challenging (fewer FrHyGe partners directly involved in the discussions about the project’s offtake and its implementation in a regional H2 hub). However, a methodological scope was validated; storyline implementation is planned for H2 2025
WP4 then focused on the preparation of modelling (tasks 4.2 & 4.4):
- Reviewed existing CBA methodologies to identify UHS services & define indicators. This 1st bibliographic review led to a draft CBA with key H2 storage values
- Identified model improvements needed for CBA & replication studies, & analyzed recent transition scenarios (TYNDP 2024)
WP5: Environmental, safety & regulatory assessment
WP5 aims at demonstrating the safety & environmental acceptability of UHS at Manosque & preparing for replication at Harsefeld. Significant progress was achieved through objectives & tasks monitoring & planning, & deliverable preparation & completion:
- Environmental impact assessment for the demonstrator (D5.7)
- Hydrogen safety planning & management (D5.9)
- Safety & risk assessment through Probability Risk Assessments, blowout modelling, & seismic surveillance (D5.11) confirming the demonstrator’s acceptability within regulatory safety thresholds
- Permitting & environmental documentation advanced (updated impact assessments, regulatory alignment with DREAL, & development of a robust Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) framework to quantify & monetize environmental effects)
WP6: Communication, dissemination, exploitation
WP6 coordinates communication, dissemination & exploitation activities to ensure visibility, knowledge sharing & long-term use of FrHyGe results.
- Brand identity & communication tools were created to strengthen the project’s visibility & coherence
- The PEDR-C plan, including an initial Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) overview, was established early to guide partners. FrHyGe’s website, LinkedIn & newsletters provide updates & cross-interviews with partners, reaching FrHyGe's target audience.
- FrHyGe has been showcased at 1 major European H2 event & 15 conferences/workshops, with scientific publications & partner interventions increasing awareness of UHS solutions
- 1st report on knowledge sharing & dissemination activities delivered, identifying target groups, main dissemination activities & achieved results since project start
