PDEng Large-scale Subsurface Energy Storage at the University of Twente

Energy storage will play a pivotal role in providing the needed flexibility and offering balancing options to the integrated energy system. Greater deployment of energy storage is required at different scales, i.e. from low power and fast response solutions (< 1kW; <1s) to longer-term balancing needs for the grid (>1GW; hours to days and beyond). Large-scale and centralized energy storage can provide flexible bulk power management services for electricity, gas and heat commodities. In addition to flexibility, large-scale energy storage offers essential services to society in the form of strategic energy reserves and balancing solutions for unavoidable seasonal variations. The subsurface is the only space where energy can be stored on a scale that significantly contributes to the seasonal storage requirements of the Dutch Energy grid in the future energy system. The growth of these services to sufficient scale is key to ensuring a reliable and secure energy supply. Among the limited number of alternative sources of flexibility, large-scale energy storage seems a cost-effective option. Currently, much of this flexibility is being provided by the storage of natural gas. As the role of natural gas will decrease in the Dutch energy system the need grows for the large-scale storage of energy in a different form.

The goal of this project is to:

Improve insights into the optimal design considerations for specific large-scale subsurface energy storage technologies in a competitive market environment.
Reducing techno-economic challenges and risks for selected large-scale subsurface energy storage technologies including potentially hydrogen and ammonia energy storage in salt caverns and hydrogen storage in depleted gas fields.
Deliver the preliminary technical design of a selected large scale subsurface energy storage pilot/demonstration facility in consultation with industry stakeholders.
The PDEng candidate will perform the assignment at the location of ECN/TNO in Utrecht.

Further details:
PDEng Large-scale Subsurface Energy Storage at the University of Twente