Commencing a two-year test period, set to conclude in 2024, the companies say it comes as an important step forward in the development of the overall value chain for fossil-free iron and steel production.

H2 View understands, following the facility’s inauguration in June this year (2022), pressure tests were conducted, confirming its mechanical stability and pressure capacity, which then saw it filled with hydrogen gas, reaching a maximum operating pressure of 250 bar.

Read more: Rock cavern hydrogen storage pilot inaugurated in Sweden

According to the companies, the commissioning of the facility has so far shown that it has met safety requirements and works according to its design.

Currently at 100 cubic metres, the facility may be extended up to 100,000 to 120,000 cubic metres at full-scale, to store up to 100GWh of electricity in the form of hydrogen gas, which the companies say is enough to power a full-size sponge iron factory for approximately three to four days.

HYBRIT, launched in 2016 by SSAB, LKAB, and Vattenfall, seeks to produce hydrogen gas during periods of electricity surplus, storing it underground for events where the electricity system may be under strain to the utilise it for the production of sponge iron.

In 2021, HYBRIT produced the ‘world’s first’ hydrogen-reduced sponge iron at a pilot scale, eliminating carbon dioxide emissions from the steelmaking process.

Read more: HYBRIT produced world’s first hydrogen-reduced sponge iron at pilot scale

Commenting on the start of storage testing, Mikael Nordlander, Director Industry Decarbonisation at Vattenfall, said, “The fact that this technology is now working is great news, and is an important milestone in the development of a fossil-free value chain for ore-based iron and steel production.

“The use of large-scale hydrogen storage means that the industry will have a more robust and plannable supply of hydrogen from fossil-free electricity, even when the electricity system becomes more dependent on the weather.”

Martin Pei, Chief Technology Officer at SSAB, added, “It’s very positive for us that the hydrogen gas storage pilot facility is up and running and that the technology has worked as it should up to now. That’s another important milestone. Now we’ll bring the plan to completion with test campaigns and collect important data and knowledge to make a full-scale facility possible.”

Lars Ydreskog, Director of Strategic Projects at LKAB, commented, “Hydrogen gas and its storage are central to our transition. In just four years, HYBRIT technology will be used for the production of fossil-free sponge iron on a large scale at a first demonstration facility in Gällivare.”