Clear rules required for hydrogen storage

08.07.2025

Source: E & M powernews

Hydrogen storage systems should be classified as system-relevant. This is what the National Hydrogen Council calls for in a recent statement in Berlin.

Hydrogen storage systems need a clear political framework. This is what the National Hydrogen Council (NWR) calls for in a recent statement. At its meeting in Berlin, the council called for this infrastructure to be classified as systemically relevant and to be provided with a clear regulatory and financial framework.

Specifically, the NWR is calling for coordinated storage and grid planning as well as market-oriented financing with investment security. As a possible mechanism, it recommends a revenue-based contracts-for-difference (CfD) model in conjunction with an amortization account.

The background to this is the White Paper on Hydrogen Storage published by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in spring 2025. This confirms the role of hydrogen storage as the backbone of a climate-neutral and resilient energy system. Storage could bridge time gaps between production and consumption and thus contribute to security of supply - and not just in the hydrogen sector.

Timely and flexible

The Hydrogen Council emphasizes that a reliable regulatory framework must be created at an early stage. This is the only way for investors to make planning and construction decisions in good time. At the same time, regulation must be flexible enough to adapt to actual market developments and remain compatible with the financing model.

Infrastructure planning must also be coordinated. The expansion of the Germany-wide hydrogen core network should be closely linked to the development of storage capacities, the statement says. As a reminder, a network over 9,000 kilometers long is planned, which is to be completed by 2032. According to the Federal Ministry, the investment costs amount to around 20 billion euros. In addition, the NWR went on to say in its latest statement that synergies with the existing natural gas storage system must be taken into account.

"Hydrogen storage is an indispensable building block for a climate-neutral, resilient energy system," emphasizes the Council. Without political determination and suitable framework conditions, there is a risk that investment will fail to materialize.

The National Hydrogen Council began its work in June 2020 as part of the National Hydrogen Strategy. It has 26 members from business, science and civil society, including experts in production, research, infrastructure and international cooperation. It is chaired by Felix Matthes. The committee advises the State Secretaries' Committee for Hydrogen with proposals and recommendations for further development of the strategy.

The current statement "Building block for security of supply and system stability: targeted promotion of hydrogen storage" can be downloaded from the NWR website.

Author: Davina Spohn