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RWE invites tenders for hydrogen storage capacities

RWE invites tenders for long-term storage rights in the Gronau-Epe hydrogen cavern storage facility from 2028

17.06.2025

Source: E & M powernews

RWE Gas Storage West invites tenders for free capacities in the Gronau-Epe hydrogen storage facility in North Rhine-Westphalia - these can be used from January 2028.

Since June 16, RWE Gas Storage West GmbH has been offering companies the opportunity to secure storage rights in the Gronau-Epe hydrogen storage facility (North Rhine-Westphalia). The tender concerns the approximately 30 percent of the planned working gas volume that, for technical reasons, cannot be stored until January 1, 2028.

The storage facility is currently being built as the first commercial hydrogen cavern storage facility in Germany. The first cavern is expected to be filled with hydrogen from the middle of next year. At the same time, the company wants to use hydrogen pressure to displace the brine from a second cavern so that this can also be used for storage in the future. According to the operator, commercial operation is scheduled to begin on July 1, 2027.

According to the RWE subsidiary, the facility in Gronau-Epe will have an injection and withdrawal capacity of 50,000 cubic meters per hour. The working gas volume is expected to be around 38 million cubic meters. Around 70 percent of this capacity has already been allocated.

The tender is aimed at companies wishing to secure long-term storage rights. RWE Gas Storage West conducted a market survey in spring 2025 to determine the specific demand (we reported). According to the company, the feedback from potential customers has been incorporated into the tender conditions.

The storage facility is intended to help stabilize the hydrogen supply by buffering surpluses from wind and solar energy generation and providing hydrogen to industrial customers in line with demand.

RWE Gas Storage West is based in Essen and currently operates five cavern gas storage facilities for the natural gas market with a working gas volume of around 1.7 billion cubic meters. With its entry into hydrogen storage, the company is positioning itself for a role in the future energy system.

The tender conditions, the storage contract and further information can be found on the RWE Gas Storage West website.

Author: Davina Spohn