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Pioneering pilot trials at H2Hives
For the first time, the storage has been pressure-tested to 1000 bar at Äspö outside Oskarshamn. Swerim was naturally on site!
H2Hive has developed and patented a technology for storing hydrogen under high pressure in bedrock. The methods are based on boreholes in the ground, which are lined on the inside with, for example, an austenitic stainless pipe. The rock absorbs the pressure from the gas, and the pipe seals it.
"It is an interesting technology that may have the potential to be an alternative to both above-ground storage and large-scale underground storage," says Pontus Rydgren, senior researcher at Swerim. “From a materials technology perspective, it could be advantageous to use pre-made tubes. This minimizes the need for welding, which may be beneficial as welded joint may be an issue, especially in contact with hydrogen due to the risk of hydrogen embrittlement. It will be exciting to follow the pilot trials here at Äspö and the development of H2Hive.”
H2Hive and Swerim have now applied for funding from Impact Innovation to study the impact of hydrogen on the material and make the storage concept as reliable as possible.
"For us as a small innovation company, a collaboration with Swerim as a research actor would be valuable," explains Mikael Gustafsson, energy expert and one of the founders of H2Hive. “And external funding would open up opportunities for research and development that we would not otherwise be able to undertake”.