Bulk Hydrogen Storage Cost Model

Storage Types

H2Integrate models at least three types of bulk hydrogen storage technologies:

• Underground Pipe Storage: Hydrogen stored in underground pipeline networks

• Lined Rock Caverns (LRC): Hydrogen stored in rock caverns with engineered linings

• Salt Caverns: Hydrogen stored in solution-mined salt caverns

These storage options provide different cost-capacity relationships suitable for various scales of hydrogen production and distribution.

Cost Correlations

The bulk hydrogen storage costs are modeled as functions of storage capacity using exponential correlations:

\[Cost = \exp(a(\ln(m))^2 - b\ln(m) + c)\]

where \(m\) is the useable amount of H₂ stored in tonnes.

Installed Capital Cost and Lifetime Storage Cost

The figures below show how storage costs scale with capacity for different storage technologies:

Figure 1a: Installed capital cost ($/kg-H₂) as a function of usable hydrogen storage capacity

Figure 1b: Lifetime storage cost ($/kg-H₂-stored) as a function of usable hydrogen storage capacity

Cost Correlation Coefficients

Capital Cost Coefficients (Figure 1a)

Storage	a	b	c
Underground pipe storage	0.004161	0.06036	6.4581
Underground lined rock caverns	0.095803	1.5868	10.332
Underground salt caverns	0.092548	1.6432	10.161

Annual Cost Coefficients (Figure 1b)

Storage	a	b	c
Underground pipe storage	0.001559	0.03531	4.5183
Underground lined rock caverns	0.092286	1.5565	8.4658
Underground salt caverns	0.085863	1.5574	8.1606