The addition of storage can reduce the variable cost of hydrogen production by 25-40%, according to HYBRIT.

Having commercially tested the SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall collaboration’s hydrogen storage on the electricity market for around a month, HYBRIT trialled producing hydrogen from fossil-free electricity at varying electricity prices with the lowest possible costs.

Conducted at the trio’s lined rock cavern (LRC) storage plant in Svartöberget, Luleå, Sweden, with 100 cubic metres of hydrogen capacity, HYBRIT says the facility proved itself well suited for rapid emptying and refuelling.

“Despite the fact that Vattenfall optimised trading and operations against real electricity prices during a period with low price variations, the results were very good,” said Marie Anheden, Senior Project Manager at HYBRIT. “By applying it in actual circumstances, we were able to follow in real time how much money was saved by using what was stored.”

HYBRIT kicked off testing of the facility last September (2022), with the trials set to conclude in 2024.