FAQs

HyStock will communicate openly and in a timely manner about the activities at the location in Zuidwending, just like the local community is used to from EnergyStock. Local residents and other interested parties are informed regularly through the usual channels (www.energiebufferzuidwending.nl, 't Tonckeltje). The chance of nuisance from our activities is small, but cannot be ruled out. Nuisance? Do not wait, but report it to us. We will try to solve the problem as soon as possible.

Energy storage is necessary to keep the energy system in balance. After all, demand and supply are not always and everywhere fully in line with each other. In a sustainable energy system, the differences between supply and demand will increase because electricity will increasingly be produced from sun and wind. At times when demand for energy exceeds supply, we must therefore have stored energy available. Hydrogen storage in salt caverns has a special position in this respect: it is the cheapest way of storing sustainable energy, both for a few days (for daily variation in supply and demand) and for weeks on end (seasonal storage).
At this location in the north of the Netherlands, there is an enormous underground salt mountain. Several caverns have already been leached here in which natural gas is safely stored for more than 10 years. HyStock will also be storing hydrogen in similar caverns in the coming years.

The storage of hydrogen in empty gas fields still requires a lot of research. Moreover, not all gas fields in the Netherlands are completely out of use yet. We already know much more about storage in salt caverns. Storage in an empty salt cavern is technically simpler than in a gas field. A cavern is a closed, hollow space, whereas gas in an empty gas field must be stored in small pores (holes) in hard sandstone layers. In addition, storage in salt caverns is cheaper to develop.

Construction of hydrogen storage needs to start now to be ready in time for when the demand for storage comes. That demand is expected to be there from 2027. Moreover, infrastructure, and storage falls under that, should always be built ahead of market demand. Otherwise, we in the Netherlands run the risk that infrastructure slows down rather than speeds up the energy transition. Hydrogen is expected to be produced and imported on a large scale from 2027. Demand for sustainable hydrogen will mainly come from the large industrial clusters. These industries have a production process that requires a high energy value that cannot be obtained from electricity or where hydrogen is used as a feedstock for the production of materials. Finally, heavy transport, such as (inland) ships and heavy trucks, can use hydrogen, as a battery cannot provide sufficient power for long periods and would take up too much cargo space.

Hynetwork Services, subsidiary of Gasunie, is busy realising a national hydrogen network that connects the five industrial clusters with each other, with producers and users of green hydrogen, with foreign countries and with hydrogen storage and import locations. In this way, HyStock's hydrogen storage becomes part of the open-access hydrogen infrastructure and accessible to customers at home and abroad.

Yes, this has been proven abroad. The knowledge gained abroad is also used at Zuidwending. We also commission our own research and inspections. Either we do it safely or we don't. We not only have a responsibility towards the environment, but also towards our own staff.

Gasunie believes that hydrogen can be stored safely in salt caverns. With natural gas, this has been going well and safely for years. In addition, the 'Demonstration hydrogen storage A8' project provides concrete evidence of this.

There is no relationship, they are separate initiatives. Both initiatives fall under the Mining Act. EZK will assess the permit applications on their own merits and decide what will be permitted and under what conditions. Naturally, both parties must take each other into account when developing their initiatives. This is an aspect that EZK and SodM will also consider during the licensing process.

That is what rock mechanics research has to show. A safe distance between caverns will always have to be maintained. This is already the case between the six natural gas caverns. Again, either we do it safely or we don't.

In any case, it will put Zuidwending and the surrounding area on the map, because the storage is unique in the Netherlands. Furthermore, the hydrogen storage may be able to give a temporary boost to the local economy.

That is a question to be answered by the regional grid manager (RNB-Enexis). At the moment this is not in the line of expectation.