Assessing the technical feasibility of converting U.S. salt caverns used for natural gas storage into hydrogen storage facilities

Abstract

The 2015 Paris Agreement laid the foundation for the current momentum in renewable energy, leading to a significant increase in availability. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), by 2022, the world was on track to add nearly 2,400 GW of renewable energy in the next five years, equivalent to what was achieved in the past two decades. This investment in renewables aims to reduce global emissions and limit temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050.

Hydrogen is emerging as a crucial energy carrier, particularly for challenging decarbonizing sectors, such as heavy-duty transportation, cement production, iron and steel manufacturing, chemicals, and building materials. While progress has been groundbreaking in wind and solar energy, the issue of large-scale energy storage remains persistent. The intermit-tent nature of wind and solar power requires a storage medium capable of handling seasonal variations, similar to underground salt caverns used as natural gas reservoirs since 1961.

In light of these challenges, this thesis examines the possibility of repurposing existing U.S. natural gas storage salt caverns into hydrogen storage facilities. By exploring this approach, we can utilize the established infrastructure and leverage the extensive knowledge gained from decades of natural gas storage. This can potentially accelerate the adoption of hydrogen as a clean and sustainable energy alternative.