Innovative storage solutions for green hydrogen are advancing across multiple technologies aimed at improving safety, efficiency, and scalability while reducing costs and emissions. Key developments include:
1. Solid-State Hydrogen Storage Using Metal Hydrides
A major innovation is the use of metal hydrides for solid-state hydrogen storage. GKN Hydrogen, in collaboration with Southern California Gas Company and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), is piloting a system that stores hydrogen by bonding it with metal hydrides. This approach enables storage at low pressure, significantly enhancing safety and reducing the need for high compression. Their system can store up to 500 kilograms of hydrogen in a compact and efficient manner. This technology promises advantages in safety, footprint reduction, and lower operational and maintenance costs compared to traditional high-pressure gaseous or cryogenic storage.
2. Aromatic Heterocycle Carriers for Ambient Condition Storage
Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd. in China is developing reversible hydrogen storage and release systems based on aromatic heterocycles. This technology functions through autonomous catalytic processes and allows for hydrogen to be stored safely at ambient conditions. It addresses challenges related to safety, cost, and energy efficiency and enables large-scale hydrogen storage and transport without the hazards of high-pressure or cryogenic methods.
3. Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHC)
Startups like KONTAK in the US are working on Hydrogen on Liquid Carriers (HOLC) technology. This method stores hydrogen chemically in liquid form, offering safe, abundant, and affordable hydrogen storage. It supports backup power solutions such as for cell towers and can supply variable fuel quantities depending on demand.
4. Nanomaterials and Glass Microspheres
Research is ongoing into the use of glass microspheres and other nanomaterials that can store hydrogen at high densities and release it in a controlled manner. These materials could provide significant safety and efficiency improvements over conventional storage tanks, potentially enabling better hydrogen containment and management.
5. Innovative Underground Vertical Storage Systems
Vallourec has developed the Delphy solution, an underground vertical hydrogen storage system designed for mid-range quantities. Leveraging their expertise in hydrogen-resistant tubes and connections with a unique vertical design, Delphy aims to optimize electricity mix integration and enhance the competitiveness of hydrogen production. This solution fills a market gap for storage that is scalable and efficient for large green hydrogen deployment efforts.
6. Flexible Modular Storage Solutions
Companies like Hexagon Purus provide modular and flexible hydrogen storage solutions tailored to various parts of the hydrogen value chain, supporting scalable deployment from stationary applications to transport and industrial uses.
These innovations collectively focus on improving green hydrogen storage by addressing key challenges around safety, density, cost, and integration with renewable energy systems. The use of solid-state metal hydrides, chemical carriers, nanomaterials, and advanced structural designs highlight a multi-faceted approach to enabling the large-scale and safe deployment of green hydrogen as a clean energy carrier.
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