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