China has launched its first large-scale hydrogen storage project using underground salt caverns, a key step in developing long-duration energy storage solutions to support its clean energy transition.
Source: China News Service
China has launched its first large-scale hydrogen storage project using underground salt caverns, a key step in developing long-duration energy storage solutions to support its clean energy transition. The project, located in Ye County, Henan Province, was officially designated a national demonstration site at a ceremony on May 19. It will be the first in the country—and the largest of its kind in Asia—to store hydrogen in deep salt caverns at a scale of 1.5 million cubic meters.
Salt caverns are widely considered a promising option for hydrogen storage due to their high safety, low cost, and excellent sealing properties. The facility is being jointly developed by China Pingmei Shenma Group and the Wuhan Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Construction is scheduled to begin in November 2024.
The project has already completed key phases including geological surveys, process engineering, and well drilling. Cavity development is now underway, with operations progressing in line with national science and technology priorities. It has been listed under two major initiatives: the “Deep Earth” national science program and the government’s “Key R&D Projects” plan—making it China’s first officially recognized hydrogen storage project at this scale.
Pingmei Shenma Group currently manages 6.62 square kilometers of salt fields and operates 13 brine well clusters, with more than 20 million tonnes of cumulative salt production. These operations provide an annual physical storage capacity of over 1 million cubic meters, offering a strong foundation for future hydrogen infrastructure.
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