The continuing growth of solar and wind power means there is a need for pioneering energy storage solutions. Large underground gas storage facilities are already proven to be safe and reliable.
As one of the biggest storage operators in Europe, RAG initiated and is implementing the Underground Sun Storage research project, which will investigate the storability of hydrogen generated from solar and wind energy in natural underground sandstone reservoirs, as an additive to natural gas and synthetic methane.
The project is supported by the Climate and Energy Fund administered by the Austrian Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology. RAG’s project partners are the University of Leoben; the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna; the Energy Institute at Johannes Kepler University Linz; Axiom Angewandte Prozesstechnik; and Verbund. Other partners involved are Nafta, Etogas, the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water, and Hychico.
