Hydrogen Storage RWE Epe-H₂

The current change in the European energy market requires sufficient storage capacities for the emerging use of hydrogen as an energy carrier. In Gronau-Epe the site is an ideal hydrogen storage location due to its proximity to the planned long-distance hydrogen pipeline between Lingen and the Ruhr area in combination with the optimal geological conditions for natural as well as hydrogen storages.

RGSW is therefore planning to expand the existing above-ground facilities to include facilities for injection and withdrawing hydrogen and store it in caverns. The first stage of construction, the plant will be constructed in such a way that approx. 6 million m³ of hydrogen may be in stock and thereof a volume of 28  million m³ will be available for customers to store hydrogen. For this purpose it is planned to ...

• ... to expand the existing above-ground facility at Kottiger Hook on the existing site to include additional hydrogen injection and withdrawal sections as well as the ancillary facilities required for operation.
• ... to install a well completion in the brine filled cavern for hydrogen operation and fill a cavern with hydrogen
• … to repurpose a cavern currently used to store natural gas for hydrogen operation and fill this cavern with hydrogen
• ... to construct a pipeline system to connect the cavern with the above-ground facilities (field pipeline).

A second construction stage of the hydrogen plant unit might later enable an increase of the injection and withdrawal capacity. A related project was reported to the EU at the end of 2022 for inclusion on the list of Projects of Common Interest (PCI).

Up to now, RWE Gas Storage West GmbH is storing L-gas in 10 caverns at its Epe L-Gas site. The injection and withdrawal station required for this was approved in several construction stages in the so-called general operating plan procedure.

The last expansion in the period 2010-2012 was approved as the 4th addendum to the general operating plan with a planning approval decision.

RWE Gas Storage West GmbH submitted the first documents for the approval procedure to the Arnsberg regional government in the form of a planning notification on 28 April 2022 and requested that an environmental impact assessment (EIA) is carried out.

In a first procedural step, the Arnsberg regional government determined the required scope of the EIA with the participation of further authorities and public interest groups. RWE Gas Storage West submit the general operating plan including the necessary documents for the EIA on 20 February 2023.

The public announcement was made on March 24, 2023 respectively March 25, 2023 through the official journal of the district government of Arnsberg and the city of Gronau as well as via the central EIA portal.

The approval documents are available from April 03, 2023 up to and including May 03, 2023 on the website of the Arnsberg district government available for public inspection.

The documents are also available for general inspection at the City of Gronau (Urban Planning Department, Grünstiege 64) during the specified period.

Even before the start of the official approval process, RWE Gas Storage West launched voluntary public participation via press releases and by informing the immediate neighborhood.

The contents of the events that have taken place since June 2022 for neighborhood and public participation can be viewed here.

At this point, we would also like to give you the opportunity to actively participate in the process. You are welcome to contact us via the contact form below and send us news about the project.

RGSW has applied for funding for the project within the framework of the "IPCEI Hydrogen", a decision on the funding of the project is currently still pending. The implementation of the project is subject to the decision on funding.