RAG launches world’s first geological hydrogen storage pilot
Austrian company will test hydrogen withdrawals at Rubensdorf site at the end of this year to gauge potential for seasonal storage
Austria’s RAG has started up the world’s first underground hydrogen storage site at a former natural gas reservoir in Rubensdorf. RAG plans to store 1.2mn m³ of hydrogen, equivalent to 4.2GWh of power, with the ambition that the pilot will demonstrate how hydrogen can play a role in seasonal energy storage. Hydrogen for the storage pilot will be produced by a 2MW proton-exchange-membrane electrolyser provided by Cummins. The electrolyser will initially operate off baseload power to fill the reservoir with sufficient hydrogen, with potential to more flexibly operate to store excess renewable electricity on the grid later on in the project’s timeline. RAG is one of Europe’s largest gas storage

Also in this section
18 June 2025
The country’s green hydrogen sector can gain traction even as the global trade war rages and other headwinds hamper the sector, Mohsen al-Hadhrami, undersecretary of energy and minerals, tells Hydrogen Economist
18 June 2025
UK risks losing out on in race to secure hydrogen imports as its refusal to back ammonia cracking sinks $2.7b Immingham project
11 June 2025
China emerges as clear frontrunner as US growth stalls and Europe burdens its industry with labyrinthine regulations
30 May 2025
Pressure is growing on developers to prove the bankability of their projects in a challenging market for green hydrogen