RWE Gas Storage West is pushing ahead with the ramp-up of the European hydrogen market. To this end, the company is expanding its plans to include additional underground and above-ground facilities for the storage of hydrogen at the Kottiger Hook site in the Gronau-Epe storage field.
The transportation and storage infrastructure will play a key role in the ramp-up of the hydrogen economy. The hydrogen cavern storage facility planned by RWE Gas Storage West will help to buffer the fluctuating production of hydrogen from wind and solar energy. This will enable green hydrogen to be made available to industrial customers in line with demand. The first hydrogen is to be fed into the system in 2026.
Part of the framework operating plan procedure under mining law is a voluntary environmental impact assessment. This examines the potential impact of the project on the environment with the involvement of authorities, public agencies and the public. RWE submitted the so-called planning notification required for this to the Arnsberg district government in July. In mid-August, the authority announced the start of the scoping procedure.
The scoping procedure prescribed by law in Germany is intended to ensure that environmental assessments are carried out effectively. It is used to define relevant topics and aspects that need to be considered as part of a project and to determine the scope and depth of the investigations.
“We will also inform the public transparently about the expansion of the hydrogen storage facility currently under construction,” emphasizes André Tenbrock, Head of Operations at RWE Gas Storage West. As in the past, RWE will hold several events to provide information about the project and its progress. The next public information event is already planned for September in the form of a dialog market in Gronau-Epe.