The first complete hydrogen storage system in the state of Lower Austria was ceremoniously opened in the Lower Austria sports center on September 3rd, 2024. The event, which was attended by State Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner together with over 250 representatives from business and diplomacy, marks a significant step towards sustainable energy storage and an environmentally friendly future.
High-profile guests and an exciting program
The event began at 3:00 p.m. with a welcome by the moderators, followed by two roundtable discussions, including Wolfgang Ecker (WKO), State Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, the representative of the Japanese Ambassador Riku Komatsu, Mr. NRAbg. Christian Hafenecker, Lukas Renz from HydroSolid and Mayor Matthias Stadler from St. Pölten took part. In the subsequent tours of the facility, all participants were given an insight into the entire facility.
In her speech, Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner emphasized: “Hydrogen is a central component of our strategy to make Lower Austria one of the leading green economic regions in Europe. With innovative projects such as the hydrogen storage system in the sports center and the technologies from companies such as HydroSolid, we are setting new standards the energy supply.”
After the opening speech by Mr. NRAbg. Hafenecker, in which he emphasized the immense importance of science, research and innovation for the future of Lower Austria and Austria, was followed by two insightful rounds of discussion. In his answer, Mr. Riku Komatsu emphasized the mutual learning opportunities between Austria and Japan in the field of hydrogen technology. In his statement, Wolfgang Ecker emphasized the need for technological openness in order to achieve sustainable progress in this promising area.
A milestone for sustainable energy storage
The hydrogen energy storage system from HydroSolid was installed on the site of the Lower Austria sports center. Surplus green solar power from the recently commissioned solar carport is stored in this hydrogen system and made available again at night. The modular design of the HydroSolid storage center includes the system control, hydrogen production using electrolysis, hydrogen storage and reconversion using fuel cells. This project is the first hydrogen low-pressure system that works at a maximum pressure of 35 bar. When fully developed, this demonstration project can store up to 135 kWh of electrical energy, designed so that the area lighting of the Lower Austria sports center can be operated CO2-free and sustainably.
Lukas Renz, founder of HydroSolid, was pleased with the success of the project: “With this first hydrogen plant in the state of Lower Austria, we are setting a new standard for the storage of renewable energies. Green hydrogen is the key to solving the challenges of the energy transition and decarbonization.”
About HydroSolid
The startup, founded in 2021, has set itself the task of storing green hydrogen as efficiently as possible. The challenge with green hydrogen lies in storage. Until now, hydrogen has been stored at high pressure, which is unsafe and expensive. HydroSolid has developed the “Hive One” for this purpose. It is a compact, fully recyclable and environmentally friendly storage system that does not use any critical raw materials.