Gasunie joins German hydrogen storage project

Dutch gas network operator enters German hydrogen storage sector by joining pilot project at Etzel in Lower Saxony

Dutch state-owned gas network operator Gasunie has signalled its intent to develop large-scale hydrogen storage capacity in Germany by joining a pilot project based on salt caverns at the Etzel natural gas hub in Lower Saxony. Gasunie will work with German oil and gas storage company Storag Etzel on the project, which is called H2cast and is expected to start up in 2026. H2cast is co-funded by the state of Lower Saxony and the German federal government. “For a well-functioning hydrogen market, large-scale hydrogen storage is a crucial component. Gasunie has the ambition to develop salt caverns for hydrogen storage in both the Netherlands and Germany,” says Han Fennema, CEO of Gasunie.