In Lower Saxony’s Etzel, the H2CAST pilot project, which involves converting two existing salt caverns for hydrogen storage, is now entering the next phase: Gasunie and Storag Etzel have started jointly injecting around 90 tons of hydrogen into two existing caverns. Gasunie will also start constructing the surface facility in the near future.

The independent provider of cavern storage facilities, STORAG ETZEL GmbH, and the EnBW subsidiary EnBW Etzel Speicher GmbH have secured a contract for the construction and operation of new hydrogen (H2) cavern storage facilities at the Etzel site.

Another milestone in the conversion of existing caverns for the use of hydrogen in Etzel has been realised as planned: the introduction of the first tranche of 90 tonnes of hydrogen in total.

2024 was a year full of interest in cavern construction and operation in Etzel and in our pioneering project ‘H2CAST Etzel’: we welcomed numerous visitors from near and far to our information centre!

In addition to groups from the neighbourhood and our immediate surroundings as well as federal and state politicians, we were able to welcome many trade visitors from many countries. They all wanted to find out more about the advantages of cavern storage in Germany, and in Etzel in particular, on…

In a landmark decision for the energy transition in Germany, the Federal Network Agency last week authorised the construction of a hydrogen core grid. The future H2 pipeline network will bring together generation sites, cavern storage facilities and H2 imports. The north-west will play a decisive role in Germany's H2 supply

OGE is planning to extend the supra-regional long-distance gas transport system by building a pipeline from Etzel via Wardenburg to Drohne.

Carsten Reekers has been working at STORAG Etzel since 2008. He is the project manager for ‘H2CAST Etzel’ and when he talks about his work, the sentences just bubble out of him. It is clear to see that he is passionate about this project.

STORAG ETZEL welcomes the application by the FNB (association of the supra-regional gas transmission companies) to establish a hydrogen core network.

The development of a hydrogen economy also requires a corresponding storage infrastructure. One possibility is underground caverns. Why the Etzel storage site in Lower Saxony is particularly suitable for this.

As a mining company, STORAG ETZEL is regularly called upon to adapt to the market for energy storage solutions and to open up to new energy sources. The aim is to construct a new cavern field in the salt dome Jever-Berdum for storing gaseous renewable energies in the form of green hydrogen. The licence application for the "Maja" field in 2022/23 was the first step towards this goal under german mining law. The mining authority (LBEG) has now allocated the Maja permit field to STORAG Etzel GmbH…

Gasunie and Patrizia/Storag Etzel want to develop hydrogen storage caverns in the Etzel salt dome in the German state of Lower Saxony. Gasunie and Storag Etzel announced this today during energy conference E-world in Essen. The aim, following a feasibility study, is to develop and operate a multi-cavity storage facility with a total capacity of up to 1 TWh of hydrogen. [press release: Gasunie]

• Further step taken to convert existing caverns for the use of hydrogen in Etzel

• Leak tests will be carried out in the coming months

• Storage of hydrogen for test operation planned for 2024

Following the successful completion of the first leak test with hydrogen (H2) to assess the condition in spring this year, the work to convert the two H2CAST Etzel caverns for hydrogen storage from VT16 onwards was completed on schedule last week.

STORAG ETZEL would like to present current topics at the Etzel site to interested citizens and residents of the Etzel cavern facility as part of a neighbourhood information event on 24 October 2023.

Main topics at the event will be the hydrogen pilot and research project "H2CAST Etzel" and regional development in the "Energy Hub - Port of Wilhelmshaven".

- Further milestone for the conversion of existing caverns for the use of hydrogen in Etzel is being implemented as planned

- STORAG ETZEL: "Want to show that the existing facilities in the Etzel cavern field are suitable for hydrogen storage".

- Injection of 80 tons of hydrogen to begin in summer 2024

STORAG ETZEL would like to present current topics at the Etzel site to interested citizens and residents of the Etzel cavern facility as part of a neighbourhood information event on 24 October 2023.

Main topics at the event will be the hydrogen pilot and research project "H2CAST Etzel" and regional development in the "Energy Hub - Port of Wilhelmshaven".

Project partner report: Can existing caverns be easily converted to store hydrogen? To answer this question, a consortium formed in November 2022 and launched the H2 Cavern Storage Transition (H2CAST) project. [German article]

Once again, high ranking visitors in the Infobox of STORAG ETZEL GmbH! The Minister President of Lower Saxony visited Etzel and was informed about the cavern facility, STORAG ETZEL and the progress of our ongoing H2CAST Etzel.

The "Lower Saxony Hydrogen Network" in conversation with Boris Richter, STORAG ETZEL, on the importance of hydrogen storage for the energy transition [german article]

"Make energy transition work": The first cavern is to be converted for hydrogen storage by the end of the year.

Today, the starting signal was given at Etzel for the Hydrogen Days Northwest 2023, which will make the diverse applications of hydrogen accessible to a broad public until June 18, 2023.

[Article in german] STORAG ETZEL submitted a mining licence application for securing the free mineral resources "potash and rock salts" for the Jever-Berdum salt dome to the mining authority.

(energate) Wilhelmshaven wants to become more than just a transhipment point for LNG, ammonia, hydrogen and CO2. "Apart from quite a lot of work, little has happened in our town, with regard to jobs and trade tax," criticised Lord Mayor Carsten Feist at a press event organised by the Initiative Zukunft Gas.

-dpa- [Article in german] Wasserstoff ist der Energieträger der Zukunft - und beschäftigt den Nordwesten. Bremen soll 2025 an ein entsprechendes Transportnetz angeschlossen werden. Und in Ostfriesland gehen Unternehmen der Frage nach, wie sich das Gas speichern lässt.

On 20 April 2023, STORAG ETZEL GmbH once again invites you to an event on the topic of "Energy Logistics in the Northwest" as part of the nationwide "Logistics Day" in the info box of the cavern info centre at the Etzel site. As part of a multimedia presentation, interested visitors can learn more about the background to the construction of caverns in Etzel. Furthermore, the energy logistics, i.e. storing and retrieving of energy sources, will be explained. This will be followed by a tour of the…

Gasunie is to become partner in H2CAST, the hydrogen storage pilot project in the Etzel caverns in the German state of Lower Saxony. This was announced today by STORAG ETZEL and Gasunie. For Gasunie, this participation is a first step towards developing hydrogen storage facilities in Germany.

Another milestone reached in the research project: First preparatory leak test and material tests with hydrogen at cavern in Etzel.

The Etzel cavern facility is located in the middle of the North German energy hub about 20 kilometres southwest of Wilhelmshaven, with a connection to Germany's only deep-water port located there.

Due to the current geopolitical situation, it is the declared goal of the German government to make Germany independent of Russian energy imports as quickly as possible.

In the hydrogen caverns existing worldwide (Great Britain and USA), direct measurements in hydrogen have never been carried out so far.

For ten days, the metropolitan regions of Northwest and Hamburg put the energy carrier hydrogen in the spotlight – H2CAST Etzel was part of the event series!

Interview with Marco Zobel – chemical engineer accompanying the research project at Storag Etzel.

Presentation of the hydrogen pilot project "H2CAST Etzel" by the project partners on 02.07.2022.

Institute for Networked Energy Systems (DLR) presents current research topics at Hannover Messe 2022.

Boris Richter, Commercial Director of STORAG ETZEL presented the R&D hydrogen project "H2CAST Etzel" on 08.06.2022 at the event "Northwest Lower Saxony - Foundation for Supply Security and Transformation".

STORAG ETZEL information event on H2CAST and presentation of regional development project plans. Joint event of STORAG ETZEL and Energy Hub - Port of Wilhelmshaven.

With the start of the North German pilot project "H2Cast Etzel", an optimal design of the hydrogen-compatible wellheads will be developed with the project partner Hartmann Valves.

STORAG ETZEL as part of the "ENERGY-HUB PORT OF WILHELMSHAVEN" was an active participant of the kick-off event on "National Topics of the "Energiewende" in Berlin

The first phase of the H2 pilot project "H2CAST Etzel" starts - the R&D project will initially run until the end of 2024.

Joint initiative of 14 companies drives development of Wilhelmshaven into hydrogen capital. DENA study to show ways to become an H2 hub.