HyPSTER project prepares the construction phase
Currently under development on the French site of Etrez (located between Geneva and Lyon), HyPSTER is the first green hydrogen storage demonstrator in a salt cavern, supported by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership – the successor of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking
(FCH JU). With a total budget of 13 million euros, it aims to better identify the position of storage in the hydrogen value chain, and in the long term, to support the development of the hydrogen sector in Europe.
The implementation of this project launched in January 2021 is continuing with the finalisation and validation of the engineering studies. These studies will enable the construction phase to begin, including the surface hydrogen production platform and the conversion of the salt cavern into hydrogen storage. Moreover, the contracting of the equipment required for the surface and underground works has been signed with the different partners, both French and international companies.
Industrial and R&D aspects validated by engineering studies
On the industrial side, the design of the new facilities to be built has been completed in order to define the layout of the piping, instrumentation, electrical and civil engineering facilities. At the same time, this phase allows the follow-up of the administrative requests that will enable the construction permit to be obtained.
In terms of Research & Development, the test protocol has been defined and will provide 100 cycles over 3 months. The aim is to simulate the injection and withdrawal of hydrogen to manage the consumers’ needs for low carbon hydrogen, in the future.
Contracted surface and underground equipment Several partners took part of the project by supplying the equipment necessary for the construction phase: a 1MW PEM electrolyser (Elogen), a compressor for the production platform and dispensing solutions (Howden), completion elements (Schlumberger), tubes for transporting the hydrogen between surface and the salt cavern. A memorandum of understanding with TechnipFMC has recently been signed for the development of an Hydrogen wellhead in the framework of a technological partnership.
In addition, Schneider Electric will provide its expertise in electricity, instrumentation, automation solutions for an optimised asset management system, thanks to a strategic partnership.Installation of the electrolysis unit and conversion of the storage facilities
The equipment for the electrolysis units, designed to separate the water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen, are under construction by the different manufacturers. Storengy aims to start construction of the platform in the first half of the year. It will be followed by the conversion of the salt cavern, which until now has been used for R&D projects for natural gas underground storage.
The first hydrogen bubbles will be produced when the surface installations start up, which should take place in March 2023, with an experimentation phase in real conditions: the cycling tests will take place one month later in the cavern.
Focus on HyPSTER project, an essential link in the development of the green hydrogen sector
This pilot for the underground storage of green hydrogen paves the way for the creation of a green hydrogen sector at industrial scale and its technical and economic replicability on other locations in Europe. It marks a new step towards flexible supply at large scale of renewable and low carbon energies. Moreover, it is in line with the French government’s will to further support the development of the hydrogen sector, which has benefited from an additional €1.9 billion under the France 2030 Investment Plan.
The project stakeholders and their roles:
● Storengy (FR): Project coordinator for all partners, manages and operates the storage
site and the salt cavern used for testing.
● Armines-Ecole Polytechnique (FR): Different academic studies which are part of the
HyPSTER project.
● INOVYN (UK): Definition of the ideal salt cavern utilisation cycle (hydrogen input/output
for consumption).
● ESK (DE): Validation of engineering design and transfer of existing cycling models (from
natural gas storage) for hydrogen storage.
● Element Energy (UK): Validation of the techno-economic approach of the demonstrator
and assessment of potential for replicability to other sites/countries.
● Ineris (FR): Risks and environmental impacts management for the demonstrator. Analysis
of the regulatory and normative framework for a safe development of this sector in
Europe.
● Axelera (FR) : Operational result monitoring and sharing with all partners and the scientific
community. Communication, dissemination, strategic intelligence and networking with stakeholders, in order to facilitate the use and replication of
HyPSTER’s solutions beyond the project.
More information about HyPSTER’s project
The project timeline
● 2020: Definition of the regulatory framework for the project. Reception of financing by
the European Union (FCH-JU), signature of the consortium agreement by all partners
● 2021: Start of the engineering studies.
● 2022: Construction of the electrolysis unit for on-site green hydrogen production and
equipment of the cavern well for storage.
● 2023: Experimentation of hydrogen storage in a salt cavern and hydrogen production.
