Uniper has officially opened its new Hydrogen Pilot Cavern (HPC) storage facility in Krummhörn, marking a significant advancement in Germany’s green energy landscape. The project, which combines security of supply with the goals of decarbonization, was inaugurated yesterday by prominent figures including Olaf Lies, Lower Saxony’s Minister for Economic Affairs, and Michael Lewis, CEO of Uniper. The event was attended by national and international guests from politics, industry, and academia, as well as local residents who showed great interest in the development.
Pioneering Green Hydrogen Storage
The HPC Krummhörn project represents a groundbreaking step in the storage of green hydrogen, using a specially constructed salt cavern to store hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources. The facility, with a geometric volume of approximately 3,000 cubic meters, is designed to hold nearly 500,000 norm cubic meters of green hydrogen, making it one of the first of its kind in the world.
Trial operations will begin on September 24, 2024, with a gas tightness test, followed by the first gas filling. The project aims to validate the full-scale use of this storage technology under operational conditions, gathering essential data on hydrogen quality, thermodynamics, and rock mechanics throughout various injection and withdrawal cycles.
Strategic Importance for Germany’s Energy Transition
Uniper’s CEO Michael Lewis emphasized the dual importance of hydrogen storage in achieving both energy security and decarbonization. “Energy storage has always been a key element of a stable and efficient energy system, especially when it comes to balancing out seasonal fluctuations in demand. As the share of renewables in our energy supply increases, this aspect becomes even more crucial. Hydrogen will play a key role in this: It combines security of supply and decarbonization. HPC Krummhörn is taking on a pioneering role here and fits seamlessly into our strategy,” he stated.
Olaf Lies, Lower Saxony’s Minister for Economic Affairs, highlighted the regional and national significance of the project: “The Hydrogen Pilot Cavern Project in Krummhörn is a project that is attracting a lot of attention. It creates the basis for the flexible and reliable use of renewable energies, which is crucial for the success of the energy transition. This project can play a key role in the ramp-up of the German hydrogen economy.”
A Vision for the Future
Uniper’s plans for the Krummhörn site are ambitious. The facility is set to expand, ultimately providing a storage capacity of 250 GWh of hydrogen in its initial phase. By 2030, Uniper aims to develop up to 600 GWh of hydrogen storage capacity across various sites in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, supporting the emerging hydrogen core network in Germany.
Doug Waters, Managing Director of Uniper Energy Storage, expressed optimism about the project’s potential: “Hydrogen storage will play a decisive role in the energy transition. Our HPC Krummhörn project is laying the foundations for the development of storage solutions on a commercial scale.”
Community Engagement and Support
In addition to the formal opening, Uniper held an information day for local residents, which was well-received by the community. Around 300 people attended the event, where they had the opportunity to explore the site and engage directly with experts on the project and Uniper’s broader green energy initiatives.
The Krummhörn facility is strategically located to complement Uniper’s nearby “Green Wilhelmshaven” project, benefiting from its proximity to the North Sea and established connections to the gas and electricity grid. The site’s integration into the future hydrogen core network further strengthens Lower Saxony’s position as a central energy hub in Europe.
Investment and Future Prospects
Uniper is investing a significant sum in the HPC Krummhörn project, with a low double-digit million euro commitment. The project also received €2.375 million in funding from the Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment, Energy, and Climate Protection, as part of the hydrogen directive aimed at advancing the hydrogen economy.
With its innovative approach to hydrogen storage and its potential to scale, the HPC Krummhörn project is poised to play a critical role in Germany’s transition to a sustainable energy future, setting a precedent for large-scale hydrogen storage solutions globally.
