Spanish energy firms Solvay and Enagás to repurpose salt caverns for hydrogen storage
Key Insights
Solvay and Enagás are partnering to convert salt caverns in Cantabria, Spain, into a hydrogen storage hub, supporting Europe's decarbonization goals.
The project leverages the chemical stability and low permeability of salt caverns, ideal for large-scale, long-term hydrogen storage.
This initiative aligns with Spain's national hydrogen strategy and could serve as a model for similar projects across Europe.
The partnership highlights the growing role of repurposed industrial infrastructure in advancing clean energy solutions.
Spanish energy firms Solvay and Enagás have announced a groundbreaking partnership to repurpose salt caverns in Cantabria, Spain, for hydrogen storage, marking a significant step in Europe's decarbonization efforts. The project will transform caverns originally used for soda ash production into a strategic hub for storing hydrogen, addressing the intermittency challenges of renewable energy sources.
Salt caverns, formed through solution mining in salt deposits, are uniquely suited for large-scale energy storage due to their low permeability and chemical stability. "This partnership underscores the European chemical industry's strategic role in enabling clean energy solutions," said Etienne Galan, President of Solvay’s Soda Ash and Derivatives business. The collaboration aims to lay the foundations for a "robust and flexible hydrogen network" in Spain, according to Enagás CEO Arturo Gonzalo.
The initiative aligns with Spain's national hydrogen strategy and broader European decarbonization goals. Solvay, traditionally a soda ash producer, is pivoting toward sustainability by repurposing its industrial assets. The company has already explored similar opportunities in Germany and the UK, where salt caverns could offer significant storage capacity. For instance, in Germany, Solvay partnered with Corre Energy to develop a compressed air energy storage facility with a capacity of 80 GWh.
In the UK, estimates suggest that salt caverns in regions like Cheshire and East Yorkshire could store up to 2,150 TWh of hydrogen, though only about 10% of this capacity is realistically usable due to geological constraints. Meeting the UK's projected hydrogen storage needs by 2050 would require developing approximately 700 caverns, a challenge that underscores the value of repurposing existing infrastructure.
Globally, the US is leading in hydrogen storage projects, with initiatives like the ACES project in Utah aiming to store 100 tonnes of green hydrogen daily in salt caverns. The project, backed by a $504.4 million loan guarantee from the US Department of Energy, highlights the growing momentum for hydrogen storage solutions.
This Spanish project exemplifies how industrial repurposing can accelerate the transition to clean energy, offering a scalable model for other regions with similar geological assets.