A new project by the Polish Geological Survey will address the important issue of how the lithological diversity of salt seams affects the stability and integrity of underground hydrogen storage facilities.

The project covers two main areas: research and popularisation, with an emphasis on raising public awareness of underground storage in salt caverns.

The project is entitled ‘Impact of lithological variability within the oldest rock salt deposit in the Łeba Elevation area on geomechanical stability of designed underground hydrogen storage facilities’. The project is headed by PhD Marta Adamuszek from the Centre for Modelling of Geological Processes at the Lower Silesia Branch of the Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute in Wrocław. The project is fully financed by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and will last until 30 September 2026.

The aim of the project is to investigate how the lithological heterogeneity of the salt seams, including the presence of rock salt admixtures, overlying potassium salts and anhydrite, affects the stability of planned underground hydrogen storage facilities in the Leba Elevation area. This area, located in northern Poland, is one of the most promising locations for the construction of such storage facilities, especially due to the proximity of developing wind farms on the Baltic Sea.

As a key element of the energy transition, hydrogen is playing an increasingly important role in the move towards sustainable energy sources. Due to its properties, hydrogen is not only a clean fuel but also an efficient energy carrier and storage, which is important in the context of variable supplies from renewable sources such as wind and solar energy. To ensure the stability of energy systems, storage of surplus hydrogen is essential, and underground salt caverns are one of the safest, environmentally friendly and most efficient solutions.

The project will include geomechanical studies of the salt and numerical modelling of cavern stability. This modelling will take into account factors such as cavern geometry, rock mechanical properties and operational parameters of hydrogen storage. The results of the research will assess the potential risks and challenges associated with the construction and operation of underground storage facilities, under these geological conditions.

An important element of the project is also to popularise its results and raise public awareness of underground hydrogen storage. To this end, a popular science website will be created, where specialists from the Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute and experts from various fields will present the key issues related to this technology in an easy to understand and comprehensive manner.

This project is an important step towards the development of hydrogen storage technology in Poland, contributing to increased energy security and the promotion of sustainable energy sources. Thanks to the geological and geomechanical research undertaken, it will be possible to better understand the processes taking place in underground salt caverns and optimise their use in future energy projects. This initiative will not only strengthen Poland's position on the map of European innovation in hydrogen storage but will also contribute to building a society that is aware of and ready for the challenges associated with the energy transition.

Text: Marta Adamuszek