China has launched its first demonstration project for hydrogen storage in salt caverns, with a capacity of one million cubic meters. Located in Pingdingshan, Henan province, the facility aims to address one of the most critical challenges of the hydrogen economy: storing large volumes of the gas safely, reliably, and efficiently for industrial use.
The system marks a new phase for the hydrogen energy chain in the country. Furthermore, it opens the door to underground solutions capable of bridging the gap between production, demand, and transportation, especially when the hydrogen comes from renewable sources or highly variable industrial processes.
A salt cavern for hydrogen storage
The project utilizes salt rock resources from Pingmei Shenma, a gas storage and salt chemical company based in China. In this type of infrastructure, the salt is dissolved to create underground cavities with highly airtight walls, a key condition for containing light gases such as hydrogen.
According to the released technical data, the cavern will have a water-soluble volume exceeding 30,000 m³ and a planned capacity of 1.5 million standard cubic meters of hydrogen. Currently, injection is carried out using two compressors, at a pressure of 15 MPa and a flow rate of 2,000 standard cubic meters per hour.
Furthermore, the use of salt caverns allows for long-term underground storage. This option is relevant because hydrogen requires demanding containment systems due to the size of its molecules and the risk of leaks in unsuitable materials.
Technical validation in stratified saline rocks
The main technological advancements were led by the Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and Sinopec also participated in the design and construction of the project.
During the commissioning ceremony, Yang Chunhe, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, noted that hydrogen storage in salt caverns is a key technology for overcoming the bottleneck in large-scale storage and transportation. He also indicated that the project verified the long-term sealing capacity and technical feasibility of storage in stratified salt rocks.
This point is central to the expansion of hydrogen energy. While production can grow with new electrolyzers, renewable energy parks, or industrial plants, storage infrastructure remains a critical factor in ensuring continuous supply and responding to peak demand.
Hydrogen for natural gas, trucks and industrial boilers
With the system operational in Henan, project engineers will evaluate diverse applications. These include blending hydrogen with natural gas , using it in hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks, and fueling industrial boilers.
Furthermore, these routes can help reduce emissions in sectors where direct electrification is not always straightforward. Heavy transport, certain thermal processes, and existing gas networks could benefit from storage systems capable of delivering hydrogen in large volumes and with greater operational stability.
In this sense, the Chinese project serves as an engineering test for future, larger-scale facilities. Its progress will be closely watched by the energy industry, as it combines underground storage, clean energy, gas infrastructure, and industrial applications of hydrogen.
Source: english.news.cn
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