RWE Gas Storage West is planning a commercial hydrogen storage facility in Gronau. The start-up Microbify supports the project with microbiological expertise. The observation of microorganisms aims to optimize operational parameters and prevent potential damage. The storage facility is part of the GET H2 Initiative.
The RWE storage facility in Gronau demonstrates: microbiological processes play a crucial role in large-scale hydrogen storage. The energy-rich hydrogen molecules serve as a food source for natural microorganisms. Using novel methods, Microbify aims to isolate and identify these microorganisms from gas storage facilities and associated infrastructure. This allows their behavior to be recognized and predicted.
These insights should enable the operator RWE Gas Storage West to adjust the storage facility's operational parameters. This would allow them to intervene in the microbiological processes as needed and thus avoid potential damage. This could also improve the economic efficiency of the plant. To consider the microbiology of the H2 storage facility at an early stage, the Straubing-based start-up will accompany the project from the planning phase onwards.
Gronau Project Part of the GET H2 Initiative
Microbiological activities can have significant impacts on hydrogen storage. The main problems are biocorrosion, which damages facilities, biofouling, which reduces efficiency, hydrogen losses through microbial use, and contamination by metabolic products. To address these challenges, the biotech company relies on microbiological monitoring with regular analyses and the development of specific detection methods. Solution approaches include biocompatible coatings for storage surfaces and targeted control of environmental conditions such as pH value, temperature, and nutrient availability to control microbial growth.
In April 2022, RWE announced the start of the approval process and presented the project to politicians and the public. The initial filling with hydrogen is scheduled for 2026, allowing the storage facility to start regular operations in 2027.
The hydrogen cavern storage in Gronau is part of the GET H2 initiative, which aims to become a nucleus of the nationwide hydrogen infrastructure. In May 2021, the European Commission classified the project as an IPCEI project. In July, the operators received official funding notifications from the federal and state governments. Microbify has been cooperating with RWE since the end of 2021 – the Essen-based energy group was the first customer of the Bavarian start-up.
