HYBRIT: Large-Scale Storage of Fossil-Free Hydrogen Successfully Proven

Author： Hits：31 Date：2025-02-28 source：https://group.vattenfall.com/se/nyheter-och-press/pressmeddelanden/2025/hybrit-storskalig-lagring-av-fossilfri-vatgas-framgangsrikt-bevisad

The HYBRIT initiative was launched in 2016 by its owners, SSAB, LKAB, and Vattenfall, with the goal of developing the world's first fossil-free, ore-based iron and steel production using fossil-free electricity and hydrogen. The project for fossil-free sponge iron production for steelmaking (DR pilot) is now being followed up with the results from the pilot for fossil-free hydrogen production and storage.

The project has successfully designed and built a 100 m³ hydrogen storage facility using steel-lined rock cavern technology at Svartöberget, adjacent to the DR pilot for sponge iron production in Luleå. The recently completed tests demonstrate that the technology works to support a large-scale hydrogen user and that cost savings of approximately 25-40 percent in the variable operating cost of hydrogen production could be achieved. The pilot storage facility has undergone accelerated mechanical testing equivalent to about 50 years of operation, successfully demonstrating the facility’s safety, functionality, and performance.

The pilot project has been very successful and has provided us with the results we hoped for. We have demonstrated that this technology can be used to increase flexibility in the electricity system and that it is a safe construction that holds up over time. Hydrogen storage is a key piece of the puzzle for electrifying industrial processes while the share of weather-dependent power increases. With the results and experiences from the pilot project, the technology is now ready for scaling up,” says Mikael Nordlander, Head of Industrial Partnerships at Vattenfall.

Future fossil-free industrial processes that use hydrogen from fossil-free electricity instead of fossil fuels will make the industry more dependent on the power system. Therefore, the security of hydrogen supply is crucial. The primary purpose of hydrogen storage is to adjust hydrogen production according to fluctuations in the electricity market. Hydrogen production costs are optimized by producing and storing excess hydrogen when electricity prices are low and reducing production while using stored hydrogen when prices are high.

“Hydrogen is a key part of LKAB’s future strategy and journey toward carbon-free products and processes. We have not yet made any decisions regarding hydrogen storage, but the successful results from the pilot project provide us with a strong foundation as we assess the needs and possibilities of storage near our planned sponge iron production facilities,” says Jenny Greberg, CTO at LKAB.

The results from HYBRIT’s pilot project show that large-scale storage of fossil-free hydrogen is both technically feasible and economically beneficial. With these innovative technologies, we can build strong fossil-free value chains with the potential to drastically reduce the climate impact of the iron and steel industry," says Martin Pei, Chief Technical Officer at SSAB.

The global steel industry currently accounts for approximately 7 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. With HYBRIT technology, SSAB has the potential to reduce Sweden’s carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent and Finland’s by 7 percent.

The Swedish Energy Agency has co-financed 22 percent of the hydrogen storage project, with the remaining funding provided by the owner companies.

"It is very exciting to see HYBRIT successfully conclude yet another pilot program, this time for underground hydrogen storage. HYBRIT has focused on building expertise and creating crucial experience for the industrial application of this technology. The project’s tests at the pilot facility in Luleå have demonstrated that hydrogen storage using LRC technology works. With the knowledge and experience gained by the team, we are now ready to take the next step," says Gunilla Hyllander, CEO of Hybrit Development.