ARDENT UNDERGROUND
HYDROGEN STORAGE

THE MISSING LINK TO A GREEN HYDROGEN FUTURE

Hydrogen Storage process and benefits

Green hydrogen will provide the low-carbon economy promised by the hydrogen transition. Green hydrogen is simply hydrogen created by splitting water molecules using electrolysis powered by renewable electricity. Hydrogen has a very low volumetric density. It has to be stored in high pressure vessels that are typically small and expensive. In order to make the transition to a green hydrogen economy, a cost effective, large scale, replicable storage technology is the missing link.

Green hydrogen will provide the low-carbon economy promised by the hydrogen transition. Green hydrogen is simply hydrogen created by splitting water molecules using electrolysis powered by renewable electricity. Hydrogen has a very low volumetric density. It has to be stored in high pressure vessels that are typically small and expensive. In order to make the transition to a green hydrogen economy, a cheap, large scale, replicable storage technology is the missing link.

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Safe Storage

Hydrogen is stored in an environment absent of oxygen and any potential ignition source.  The below-ground storage system eliminates the risk of impact to the tank

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Affordable

The surrounding rock takes on the duty of containing the hydrogen pressure – no need for costly pressure containment materials

Scalable Hydrogen Storage

Replicable

The shaft storage construction process can be reproduced in different locations with minimal design adjustment

Pure Hydrogen Storage

Storing compressed hydrogen deep underground, without affecting hydrogen purity

Large Scale

Hydrogen storage sizes of up to 150 tonnes per shaft. For larger storage, multiple shafts can be built in the same location.

Small Footprint H2 Storage

Small Footprint

The above ground footprint is very small compared to equivalent pressure vessel storage 

Finished Underground Hydrogen Storage Solution

Graphic showing Finished Ardent Underground Hydrogen Storage Solution

Adapting proven shaft drilling techniques from the mining industry for storing hydrogen.

The underground hydrogen storage construction process

SHAFT DRILLING

 

Vector showing drill rig drilling shaft

CASING ASSEMBLY

 

Step 2 in construction of underground hydrogen storage

CASING COMPLETION


Step 3 Construction of Underground Hydrogen Storage

SURFACE CONNECT

 

Finished underground hydrogen storage installation

Step 1

A rotating large diameter drilling assembly drills a shaft using the Abergeldie blind bore method. 

Step 2

A steel liner is assembled and floated into position in the shaft using the Abergeldie shaft liner installation method. 

Step 3

The cap is installed to the top of the casing and it is connected to ground level with a pressure pipe.

Step 4

The space between steel liner and rock is filled with grout and the shaft storage is connected to the above ground facilities

The vertical hydrogen storage approach offers a considerably more cost efficient solution than any above ground option whilst offering modularity and site independence advantages over bespoke lined rock caverns or salt caverns. 

Hydrogen Storage costs graph by volume

PARTNER COMPANIES

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Abergeldie is a leading civil engineering contractor with over 30 years’ experience in providing the complex infrastructure needed to build better communities. 

WEBSITE

Murphy is an infrastructure contractor with over 75 years’ experience operating in the Energy, Natural Resources, Transport and Water sectors in the UK, Ireland, Canada and USA.

WEBSITE

Latest News

“We are uniquely positioned in the ACT to become a hydrogen knowledge hub through contributions to hydrogen research activities, as well as conducting pilots and trials with the industry.”

Shane Rattenbury, ACT Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability

AUSTRALIA'S HYDROGEN TRANSITION

Download an overview of Ardent's approach to Hydrogen Storage

Ardent Hydrogen Storage Presentation

Support from the ACT government Renewable Energy Innovation fund is gratefully acknowledged

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