The search for salt caves for new hydrogen storage is underway in Lower Saxony

In order to be able to store the hydrogen required for the energy transition on a large scale, the cavern operator Storag Etzel wants to develop a new cavern field in the north-west of Lower Saxony. For this purpose, a salt dome in the districts of Wittmund and Friesland is to be explored in the coming years after official approval, as company representatives from Storag Etzel and the district administrators of the two districts announced on Wednesday evening in the East Frisian town of Wittmund.

Caverns are large cavities in underground salt formations such as salt domes. According to Storag, the additional caverns are necessary to create the necessary storage space for green hydrogen as an energy source for the energy transition. Last year, the company submitted an application for approval for the project to the competent Lower Saxony State Office for Mining, Energy and Geology. According to mining law, this application is the prerequisite for being able to explore locations for caverns with drilling at all.

Citizen information in April

“We are in a very early phase,” said Boris Richter, commercial director of Storag Etzel, “We want to secure the rights and work in the future to develop another cavern field.” How many caverns can be developed in the field near Jever-Berdum cannot yet be foreseen. The EU Commission wants to subsidize green hydrogen.

On Wednesday evening, politicians from the technical committees of the districts were informed about the project. On April 26, Storag Etzel wants to present his plans at a public event in Horumersiel.

Before the new cavern field can even be developed, the existing cavern field at Storag near Etzel in the district of Wittmund is to be completely expanded. Gas and crude oil are currently stored there in a total of 75 caverns, including a large part of the German crude oil reserve. There is space for a total of 99 caverns. According to Storag Etzel, it is the largest provider of cavern storage facilities in Germany.

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