In conversation with Boris Richter

In conversation with Boris Richter

©STORAG ETZEL

The H2Cast project in Etzel, Lower Saxony, is testing the storage of hydrogen in salt caverns that were previously used for natural gas. 

The key to security of supply: energy storage

Last winter, the media reported almost daily on the filling levels of German gas storage facilities. For the first time, the public became aware of the issue of storage facilities and their importance. Storage facilities are particularly important for the energy transition. In 2021 alone, 5.8 TWh of renewable energy was curtailed so as not to overload the grid. This corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of more than 1.5 million households.

Unlike electricity, hydrogen can be stored cost-effectively and, above all, for the long term. Storage facilities therefore play an important role in the future energy supply. For this issue on the subject of storage, we spoke to Boris Richter, Managing Director of STORAG ETZEL GmbH, the largest independent operator of cavern storage facilities in Germany.

NWN: We are currently storing large quantities of gas in underground caverns in Germany for the winter. In the future, we want to move away from natural gas or LNG and electrify as many processes as possible. Will we still need the cavern storage facilities to their current extent?

Boris Richter: The caverns have the task of storing energy, e.g. in the form of gas. It is precisely when large quantities of energy are drawn from the transmission grid, e.g. in winter, that the storage facilities provide additional support and cover peak demand by storing gas. The storage facilities have a buffer function. The import of energy, e.g. by sea via LNG tankers, also takes place intermittently, i.e. selectively over a short period of time. This means that cavern storage facilities are additionally required and must fulfill their function.

In future, the plan is to produce hydrogen from renewable electricity from the North Sea, which can then be stored in Etzel, for example. Why don't we store the renewable electricity directly in large batteries and feed the electricity into the grid later when we need it?

BR: In terms of efficiency, it makes perfect sense to store the electrons directly. However, the capacity of accumulators is currently far too small. A gas cavern with methane molecules can store one terawatt hour of energy. This can easily supply a small town with energy for a whole year. There are currently 51 gas caverns in operation in Etzel.

 

Hydrogen can also be stored above ground in mobile tanks. What is the advantage of underground storage?

BR: The volume of a cavern is much larger than an ordinary tank. On average, the caverns in Etzel are between 300,000 m³ and 600,000 m³ in size. The gas medium can be compressed with up to 200 bar and thus many millions of cubic meters of gas can be stored in a cavern. This would require many hundreds of tanks on the surface and therefore an enormous amount of space.

 

In future, you also want to store hydrogen in Etzel. Storag Etzel is already converting a cavern for this in the H2Cast project. Where do you currently stand with the project?

BR: We have just completed a positive leak test with hydrogen and will carry out further tests in the fall. Further construction work will be carried out above and below ground.

"We want to make the Etzel site in Lower Saxony "H2-ready", i.e. prepare it for the foreseeable ramp-up of the hydrogen economy, which will help to decarbonize German industry, i.e. make it more CO2-free and climate-friendly. This will ensure security of supply with CO2-free energy in the future. The location is of crucial importance for north-western Europe. The energy transition will need these large-scale storage facilities from 2030 at the latest, as H2 supply and demand will diverge in terms of time and space. Our goal is to make the site fit for the future for generations to come!"

Boris Richter

Commercial Managing Director, Storag Etzel

The majority of German hydrogen storage projects are located in Lower Saxony. Why are there so many storage facilities here in particular?

BR: Caverns are artificial cavities created by mining in salt formations. In addition to the technology, a salt deposit is therefore also required. These are usually salt domes or salt pillows. These salts were formed around 270 million years ago during the Permian period. A sea dried up in several stages and residual components of the sea, mostly salt, were deposited. The sea at that time was formed due to a basin structure, in the North German basin. This also provides us with a local reference. This is because around 70 percent of the salt deposits on land in Germany are located in northern Germany and largely in Lower Saxony. That is why there are many cavern storage facilities here in Lower Saxony, because there is a lot of salt under our feet.

 

What are the biggest challenges in the underground storage of hydrogen?

BR: We have to answer many technical questions, but also questions relating to licensing law. First and foremost, the safety and protection of the public, our employees and our plant are paramount. As we are a mining company, we are subject to mining law and our licensing authority is the LBEG in Clausthal-Zellerfeld. The mining authority is our supervisory authority and examines our applications very carefully.

 

Green hydrogen is to be imported to Germany for the first time via H2Global at the end of 2024. The first large-scale electrolysers will be connected to the grid in the coming years. Large quantities of hydrogen will soon be produced and landed in Lower Saxony. By when do we need functional hydrogen storage facilities?

BR: We assume that hydrogen storage facilities will be needed from 2027/2028 and that the market ramp-up for hydrogen will take place. However, this also means that the cavern storage facilities will also be connected to hydrogen pipelines. The infrastructure for this must be in place, otherwise storage facilities will not work. The pipelines are like lifelines in which the energy is transported.

 

In our future energy system based on renewable energies, we will need to store large quantities of hydrogen in order to guarantee security of supply. Assuming we convert all existing cavern storage facilities - would the current capacities even be sufficient for future storage requirements?

BR: If natural gas is to be completely replaced by hydrogen for industry and we assume that this will take decades, then the current storage capacity will not be sufficient. Because if you look at it in terms of energy, hydrogen has almost four times less energy than natural gas. This means that four times more storage volume is required to store the same amount of energy. It should also be borne in mind that, in addition to the hydrogen storage requirement, the storage cavity must also be provided, albeit at a decreasing rate for natural gas.

 

What order of magnitude are we talking about for future storage requirements?

BR: Current studies put the storage requirement for hydrogen in 2050 at 74 terawatt hours.

 

How long will it take to build up the corresponding capacities?

BR: In Etzel, we need around two to four years to convert existing caverns for hydrogen storage and a little longer to construct new hydrogen caverns in the salt dome at 24 newly planned locations. We already have the mining permits to build new caverns. In the coming years, we will be working with our partners in the H2CAST research project to prove that hydrogen can be stored in caverns without any problems. The project is funded by the state of Lower Saxony and the federal government.

 

Thank you very much, Mr. Richter. 

SaltHy: Hydrogen storage in Harsefeld

As part of the Clean Hydrogen Coastline project, industry partners in the Northwest region plan to build 400 megawatts of electrolysis capacity by 2026.

Clean Hydrogen Coastline

As part of the Clean Hydrogen Coastline project, industry partners in the Northwest region plan to build 400 megawatts of electrolysis capacity by 2026.

Sektorenkopplung für den Eigenbedarf (abgeschlossen)

Sector coupling for captive use - OGE's KRUH2 pilot project focuses on this aspect in hydrogen production, storage and use.

Hydrogen Cavern for Mobility

In the HyCAVmobil (Hydrogen Cavern for Mobility) project, EWE and its partners are researching the conditions under which pure hydrogen can be stored in salt caverns.

H2March

Access to hydrogen is gradually becoming a key location factor. The "H2Marsch" alliance has therefore been formed in the Wesermarsch region with the aim of securing the region's supply of hydrogen. This should not only secure 6,000 jobs, but also reduce 240,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year in the long term.

Green Octopus Central Germany (GO!)

The Green Octopus Central Germany "GO!" project by ONTRAS Gastransport and VNG Gasspeicher will, among other things, connect the Salzgitter steel region and the Helmstedt coalfield with the eastern German hydrogen network and the future hydrogen storage facility in Bad Lauchstädt. To this end, pipelines with a total length of around 305 kilometers will be converted or newly constructed for hydrogen transport.

Wasserstoffspeicher in Krummhörn (abgeschlossen)

In Krummhörn, Uniper is testing the construction and operation of an underground hydrogen storage facility.

Hydrogen drying by absorption

Bilfinger is currently developing a demonstration plant for hydrogen drying in Cloppenburg. Drying is necessary in order to be able to convert the hydrogen back into electricity after storage (e.g. in caverns) or to feed it into the grid.

CHESS - Development of a hydrogen infrastructure in the Wesermarsch region

As part of the CHESS (Compressed Hydrogen Energy Storage Solution) project in Huntorf (Wesermarsch district), EWE and Uniper want to jointly convert their respective existing gas and electricity infrastructures. The aim is to build a new hydrogen infrastructure on site quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively.

Green Wilhelmshaven

In the Green Wilhelmshaven project, the import of hydrogen by means of ammonia is made possible on a large scale; at the same time, however, green hydrogen is also produced on site by electrolysis. This will build capacities that together could cover 10-20% of the hydrogen demand of all of Germany in 2030.

In conversation with Lars Eichhorn

In conversation with Lars Eichhorn

Credit DBT Inga HaarSource: LUH

©Technology Salon, Leibniz University

Innovation Lab "Sustainable Hydrogen Combustion Concepts" (WaVe)

More than 20 research teams in Lower Saxony are working on solutions for the hydrogen economy. Many of them within the framework of the five innovation labs coordinated by the EFZN.

A contribution to the stronger networking of science and industry was the presentation of the EFZN hydrogen competence paper. The paper is a "performance showcase" of the Hydrogen Lower Saxony Research Alliance, which has been in existence since 2018.

The NWN took the publication as an opportunity to talk to Lars Eichhorn, research associate at the Institute for Technical Combustion and researcher in the WaVe innovation laboratory.

Mr. Eichhorn, you work in one of the five innovation labs in Lower Saxony. What does the WaVe deal with?

Eichhorn: The Innovation Lab is working on sustainable hydrogen combustion concepts (WaVe) in three projects. One project is concerned with hydrogen engines in vehicles. It is investigating which concepts and adapted components can be used to run existing commercial vehicle engines on hydrogen. The second project is investigating how natural gas can be replaced by hydrogen in a gas-fired power plant. In the third project, on which I am personally working, we want to show that hydrogen can be used to provide primary control power in gas and steam power plants. The short-term power increase of a steam turbine required for this is generated with additional process steam, which is the reaction product of hydrogen-oxygen combustion.

Why can't such processes be electrified?

Eichhorn: In this and many other applications, temperature levels beyond 500 degrees Celsius are required. Especially in the production of ceramics, glass, or cement, the heat demand is very high. Here, thermal utilization is significantly more efficient than electrical utilization of hydrogen.

They are trying to make this combustion even more efficient here. How does that work?

Eichhorn: The handling of the very hot hydrogen-oxygen flame, which burns at atmospheric pressure and temperatures above 3000 °C, is particularly demanding. For this purpose, we are developing a burner that can withstand the thermal load and ensure optimum mixing of the gases as well as reliable stabilization of the flame. The focus is on reducing the combustion temperature to a technologically controllable level.

And you do that with water?

Eichhorn: Correct. In many cases, water vapor is used for this, which is added to the combustion; what is challenging is the quantities required. In our research approach, the flame is cooled with liquid water, which is atomized by the oxygen and enters the combustion chamber as a water-oxygen spray. Within the combustion chamber, the mixing and oxidation of the hydrogen takes place. In initial tests with the new burner, the flame temperature was reduced to below 2000 °C thanks to the innovative concept. Other advantages of using liquid water are the smaller pipe cross-sections in the supply line compared with vaporized water and the fact that no primary energy is required to produce steam. This makes this technology much more flexible and quicker to use.

But steam can already be produced relatively quickly. Where do we need this time flexibility?  

Eichhorn: The aim of primary control power is to provide additional power within seconds to ensure the stability of the power grid. Starting up a steam generator takes too long and is therefore not suitable. Instead, our research approach uses liquid water - without further preparation.

You also work in a basic research laboratory at the Hydrogen Campus Hannover. What is being studied here?

Eichhorn: The basic laboratory was primarily created to arouse students' interest in hydrogen in general and in sustainable combustion technology topics in particular. And indeed, although we are experiencing declining attendance at lectures on combustion engines, we are seeing increasing interest on the part of students in hydrogen technologies and alternative fuels. Especially through the lab, we receive some unsolicited applications for our innovative research projects.

Thank you very much, Mr. Eichhorn.

 

 

 

 

In conversation with Tobias Moldenhauer from EWE

In conversation with Tobias Moldenhauer from EWE

Credit DBT Inga HaarSource: private

Tobias Moldenhauer, Head of Hydrogen in the Hydrogen and Large-scale Storage business area at EWE AG in Oldenburg.

"What it needs now is a hydrogen acceleration bill".

TES-H2 and EWE are planning to build a 500 MW electrolyzer at the Wilhelmshaven Green Energy Hub. With this, the two companies are taking another important step for the energy transition.

The electrolyzer is scheduled to come on stream from 2028. The capacity will initially be 500 megawatts, and will later be expanded to a total capacity of 1 gigawatt with another planned plant. The signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two companies is in line with Germany's energy strategy to extract clean energy from the North Sea and expand supplies for hydrogen production. More info on the project can be found here.

Lis Blume from the NWN took this cooperation as an opportunity to talk to Tobias Moldenhauer, Head of Hydrogen in the Hydrogen and Large Storage Business Unit of EWE AG.

 

Tobias, together with TES-H2, EWE is building a 500 MW electrolyzer in Wilhelmshaven. In a second step, the capacity is then to be expanded to 1 GW. Can you briefly describe the significance of this project for the energy transition in Lower Saxony and Germany? 

We are firmly convinced that the energy transition and the associated shift away from fossil fuels will succeed with green hydrogen. In this way, we are creating a way to make renewable energies storable. Green hydrogen will thus become an important component of the energy future in the region where the best conditions exist for the center of a green, European hydrogen economy: northwest Germany. Here in the region, the share of renewable energies is high and there are numerous infrastructure components, such as gas storage facilities and one of the largest gas distribution networks in Germany. All the measures and projects build on each other and have a common goal: to drive the market ramp-up of the hydrogen economy. We want to tackle and drive this forward together with partners like TES. To this end, we recently sealed a joint declaration of intent.

This is not your first project in the hydrogen economy. What "learnings" from the other projects can you apply here?

We are still at the beginning of numerous hydrogen projects along the entire value chain, from generation, transport and storage to application in industry and heavy-duty transport. We are cooperating with other companies and jointly developing ideas and projects to drive the ramp-up of the hydrogen economy. We already have a hydrogen production demonstrator in operation and a hydrogen filling station, and others are currently being implemented. Of course, we are also taking the findings from this into the development of large-scale projects. We are also already creating facts in hydrogen storage. We are currently building a test cavern in Rüdersdorf, Brandenburg, and together with DLR are testing the storage and retrieval of hydrogen in an underground cavity and the quality of the hydrogen after it has been removed from the cavern. We already reached an important milestone a few weeks ago: The 1,000-meter supply line to the cavern has been proven to be leak-proof.

For other hydrogen projects, such as Clean Hydrogen Coastline or Hyways for Future, EWE has submitted funding applications to the state and federal governments. Not this time. Why?

In order to be able to submit a funding application, concrete preliminary project planning is first necessary. With the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between EWE and TES-H2, i.e. a joint declaration of intent, we are only now entering into this preliminary planning. As things stand, we will therefore also be dependent on subsidies for this electrolysis project.

The new government of Lower Saxony is talking about Germany's speed and energy transition turbo for such projects. Has the turbo already arrived in practice?

We very much hope that approval processes will become leaner for energy transition projects. With the new LNG Acceleration Act, Germany has shown that this is possible. What is needed now is an appropriate legal framework for the swift implementation of all energy transition projects, for example through a hydrogen acceleration law.

You want to get the green electricity for electrolysis from the wind farms in the North Sea. Will offshore wind be developed to the point where sufficient energy is available for electrolysis by 2028?

The expansion of renewables - whether onshore or offshore wind energy - naturally goes hand in hand with the expansion of the hydrogen economy. We therefore assume that by the time our planned electrolyzer in Wilhelmshaven goes into operation in 2028, the expansion of wind energy will have progressed accordingly, so that we do not fear any bottleneck in the procurement of green electricity for hydrogen production. We are of course in close consultation with the grid operators on this.

Thank you very much.

 

 

In conversation with Stefan Kaufmann

In conversation with Stefan Kaufmann

In conversation with Dr. Stefan Kaufmann

Credit DBT Inga HaarSource: NWN

Lis Blume (NWN) and Dr. Stefan Kaufmann in conversation. ©NWN

Energy infrastructure of tomorrow

For the successful development of a hydrogen economy, an international hydrogen infrastructure is needed. Lis Blume from the NWN talks with Dr. Stefan Kaufmann, the former federal representative for hydrogen, about Lower Saxony's role in the transformation of the energy sector, regulation and certificates for green hydrogen, EU policy and international partnerships.

Watch directly here or on our Youtube channel.

 

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    Interview: No energy transition without skilled workers

    In conversation with Dr. Ruggero Capperucci

    Lis Blume (NWN) and Dr. Ruggero Capperucci (University of Oldenburg) during the interview in Oldenburg. ©NWN

    We cannot achieve an energy transition without skilled workers

    The successful development of a hydrogen economy requires comprehensive education and training in many sectors. This is because the switch to hydrogen technologies is accompanied by numerous changes in production processes, energy and vehicle use. The NWN therefore summarizes current qualification offers and provides an overview of the most important offers in Lower Saxony.

    Lis Blume, responsible for communications at the NWN, therefore spoke to Dr. Ruggero Capperucci, contact person for the "Hydrogen for specialists and managers" training course at Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Leibniz University Hannover and the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES.

    "We need 70,000 hydrogen specialists in Germany by 2030."

     

     

    Mr. Capperucci, are our skilled workers well prepared for the energy transition?

    RC: Dear Ms. Blume, unfortunately I have to give you a clear answer: No. There is currently a serious shortage of hydrogen specialists in Germany. An estimate by the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (DWV) assumes that 70,000 new specialists will need to be trained for the hydrogen cycle by 2030 - and that's before the latest international events have given a decisive boost to energy independence and the green transition at national and EU level.

     

    Hydrogen as an important building block in the energy supply has been a recurring topic in recent decades, starting in the 1980s. The topic itself is not new - but why is there still a lack of expertise in dealing with the gas?

    RC: Green hydrogen will develop its market potential in various sectors over the next ten years. The technology for using hydrogen for energy purposes has been well known for decades. Nevertheless, its large-scale application requires a rethink and an adaptation of the entire economic and industrial system at various levels. The energy transition with hydrogen as a central "bridge" for the coupling of different sectors brings with it a multitude of technological, but also legal, economic and operational challenges. Last but not least, politics and administration are also required to initiate and support the transition.

     

    Waste_heat_pipes_cut_fotolia_©Aleksey-Stemmer

    ©Aleksey-Stemmer

     

    "Competent specialists and managers in all areas along the value chain, as well as in politics and administration, are needed to build a hydrogen economy."

     

     

    We always talk about the skilled workers and managers in the companies. You are now also bringing the administration into play - what role does it play in the development of the hydrogen economy?

    RC: There is currently a strong political will for the transformation of the industry and numerous investments in pilot projects. Competent specialists and managers in all areas along the value chain, as well as in politics and administration, are needed to develop a hydrogen economy. In addition, hydrogen economy projects are complex, interdisciplinary and innovative. A dedicated training program can shorten the learning curve and reduce the cost of mistakes.

    Can you be more specific?

    RC: Let me give you a few examples: For the use of hydrogen vehicles in the vehicle fleet, dedicated logistics must also be provided the decision for a system determines a company for years and entails numerous subsequent decisions. Employees of banks or insurance companies must be able to assess the technical dimensions of a hydrogen project in order to evaluate its feasibility and financial viability. Employees of public administrations must review applications for new hydrogen-related plants and facilities, and business development agencies must recognize the opportunities and challenges that the hydrogen economy offers for their region. All these people need continuous, comprehensive and up-to-date training and further education.

    Source: MU

    Olaf Lies, Minister for the Environment, Energy, Building and Climate Protection in Lower Saxony (center), is committed to the rapid development of the hydrogen economy. To this end, he has launched a funding guideline to support companies such as aha in Hanover in their transition to sustainable energy. ©NWN

    What qualifications do specialists need to work with renewable energies, but above all with hydrogen?

    RC: This depends on the sector in which you work: But in general, in addition to the qualifications they already have, any specialist who wants to deal with renewable energies and hydrogen in particular needs the necessary specialist knowledge. They should also be able to look at renewable energy projects and the hydrogen economy from different perspectives, understand them as well as possible and communicate with various players/trades in these areas. 

     

    Which specialists, for example, take part in further training at the University of Oldenburg?

    RC: Our participants include professionals from a wide range of backgrounds: Engineers who want to gain specific know-how about hydrogen technologies, bankers who want to address specific economic issues around timelines and price drivers for hydrogen, and so on. Importantly, however, these professionals are asked to work together to develop a virtual hydrogen project that encompasses all these aspects, so that each can not only contribute their own discipline, but also learn to see through the eyes of the other and get a complete picture of the whole project process.

     

    The training is offered in a combination of classroom and online sessions, as well as excursions. ©AdobeStock

    "Managers need to understand the 'ecosystem' of the hydrogen economy."

     

    Now we've talked about specialists. In which areas do managers need to undergo further training in order to stay on the ball?

    RC: Managers must decide whether and how the hydrogen economy is relevant to their company or division and, if so, establish a business segment. The decentralized nature of renewable energies offers opportunities for many companies whose managers need to understand the "ecosystem" of the hydrogen economy. In addition to a basic technical understanding, this also requires knowledge of the components, dimensions, players and political dimensions of hydrogen projects and the hydrogen economy. They must also be able to assess possible business models and know which skills and people they need for a hydrogen project.

    Your assessment: Will we see completely new training professions or will the topic of hydrogen have to be integrated into existing training programs?

    RC: In the short term, the urgent need for specialists must be met with our own new courses and programs, such as ours. We are aiming to provide the necessary specialist and general knowledge as well as the various perspectives and independent orientation skills in the hydrogen economy in six months with a high-quality academic training program that has a strong practical orientation. In the medium term, I believe that the topic of hydrogen will increasingly become part of the normal training canon. But even in this phase, I see good prospects for our program of further training for specialists and managers in the hydrogen economy.

    Source: NWN

    Hydrogen for specialists and managers

    The further education program of the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Leibniz University Hannover and the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES builds on the participants' existing professional qualifications and experience and enables them to assess, initiate and manage hydrogen projects. During the training, a hydrogen project is planned and calculated realistically.

    Training opportunities in the hydrogen sector

    The successful development of a hydrogen economy requires comprehensive training and further education in many sectors. The NWN summarizes the current offers here and provides an overview of the relevant qualifications in Lower Saxony.

     

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