EWE Awards Bilfinger a Contract for Hydrogen Treatment at Huntorf

EWE GASSPEICHER has awarded Bilfinger a contract to deliver a hydrogen treatment facility at its Huntorf storage site in Germany, advancing the conversion of an existing natural gas cavern into a large-scale hydrogen storage facility.

Under the contract, Bilfinger will handle the engineering, installation and commissioning of the hydrogen treatment system. The project will also mark the first commercial-scale deployment of Bilfinger’s H2Dry technology, which is designed to dry hydrogen before storage and help protect downstream infrastructure and equipment.

Huntorf to Become a Large-Scale Hydrogen Storage Site

Once converted, the cavern is expected to provide approximately 16 million standard cubic metres (Nm³) of working gas capacity for hydrogen. The facility is planned to connect to Germany’s hydrogen core network, creating a link between hydrogen production, transport and consumption.

EWE plans to bring the hydrogen storage facility into operation in 2028.

Bilfinger to Install H2Dry Hydrogen Treatment Technology

Bilfinger’s scope covers the complete hydrogen treatment system, including engineering, installation and commissioning.

A key part of the system is the company’s H2Dry technology. Hydrogen drying is important for storage infrastructure because moisture can contribute to corrosion and affect equipment used throughout the hydrogen value chain.

The Huntorf project represents the first commercial-scale application of H2Dry, moving the technology from development toward deployment in a large-scale hydrogen storage environment.

Why Hydrogen Drying Matters

Hydrogen storage requires the gas to meet appropriate quality specifications before it enters storage infrastructure and subsequently returns to the network.

The treatment system will therefore form an important part of Huntorf’s future storage operation. By removing moisture from hydrogen, the H2Dry system is intended to support the reliable operation of storage equipment and associated infrastructure.

Bilfinger says the technology is designed to provide an efficient and cost-effective treatment solution for hydrogen storage applications.

Creating Flexibility Between Production and Demand

Large-scale hydrogen storage can help address a fundamental challenge in renewable hydrogen systems: production and consumption do not always occur at the same time.

Renewable hydrogen may be produced or imported when renewable electricity or other supply sources are available, while industrial users, energy suppliers and power generators may require hydrogen at different times.

The Huntorf cavern is intended to act as a buffer between these stages, allowing hydrogen to be stored when available and supplied when required. EWE says this flexibility can support security of supply and system stability as Germany's hydrogen economy develops.

Part of EWE's Clean Hydrogen Coastline

The Huntorf storage project forms part of EWE’s Clean Hydrogen Coastline initiative, which brings together hydrogen production, storage, transport and utilisation across north-west Germany.

The broader project received funding approvals from the German federal government and the State of Lower Saxony in 2024 under the European IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) framework.

The Huntorf conversion is being implemented in stages, with the hydrogen treatment facility representing one of the key components of the future storage infrastructure.

Building on EWE's Underground Storage Experience

EWE is drawing on its existing experience with underground energy storage as it develops the Huntorf hydrogen facility.

The company previously demonstrated hydrogen storage in a 500-cubic-metre test cavern at its Rüdersdorf site near Berlin. The experience gained from constructing and operating the test facility is now being applied to larger hydrogen storage projects such as Huntorf.

EWE operates a portfolio of 37 salt caverns, providing the company with extensive experience in underground energy storage infrastructure.

Huntorf Hydrogen Storage: Key Project Facts

The project represents another step in Germany's development of hydrogen infrastructure, with underground storage providing a potential connection between renewable hydrogen production, imports, pipeline transport and end-user demand.

Hydrogen Storage Infrastructure Moves Forward

The Bilfinger contract gives EWE another major building block for its Huntorf hydrogen storage project.

By combining an existing salt cavern with dedicated hydrogen treatment technology and a planned connection to Germany's hydrogen core network, the facility is being developed to provide large-scale storage and greater flexibility across the emerging hydrogen system.

For Bilfinger, the project also provides the first commercial-scale application of H2Dry, placing its hydrogen treatment technology within a major underground storage project.