Underground Hydrogen Storage: An Essential Step to Achieving Net-Zero Carbon Goals

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Faculty of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran

2 Sahand University of Technology

Abstract

The energy transition is a pathway to transform the global economy from its current reliance on fossil fuels to one with net-zero carbon dioxide emissions. This necessitates the rapid and large-scale deployment of renewable energy sources. However, most renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, are intermittent and their production does not necessarily match demand. Energy storage in the form of sustainable energy carriers, such as hydrogen, is a key solution to overcome this challenge. Underground hydrogen storage in natural formations such as salt caverns and porous rocks is an efficient and safe method for storing this clean energy source on a large scale. This method has also been used previously for storing natural gas and carbon dioxide. Despite its significant advantages, there are challenges such as hydrogen leakage, high costs, and a lack of knowledge and experience in this field. However, extensive efforts are underway to address these challenges and develop hydrogen storage technologies. Government and private investment in this area is increasing and several pilot projects are underway around the world, particularly in the Middle East. By overcoming existing challenges and developing new technologies, this method can be used as a sustainable and efficient solution for storing excess energy produced from renewable sources and promoting their use worldwide. This paper reviews the concepts and challenges associated with hydrogen energy and its underground storage. It also examines the current state of technology in the field of hydrogen, with reference to existing storage projects around the world, and provides recommendations for future work in this area. In addition, site selection criteria for hydrogen storage are reviewed based on current field experiences.

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Journal of Petroleum Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 30 March 2025

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