Site screening for lined rock caverns – A UK based case study

The development of a UK hydrogen economy requires storage solutions that are flexible, scalable, and deployable in the near term. While large-scale interseasonal hydrogen storage is expected to rely on salt caverns and depleted hydrocarbon fields, lined rock caverns represent a promising intermediate-scale alternative capable of bridging short-term surface storage and long-term seasonal storage as the hydrogen economy grows. To date, a systematic national assessment of lined rock cavern site suitability has been lacking.

This study presents a geospatial methodology for identifying potential sites for subsurface hydrogen storage within lined rock caverns that can be applicable on a national scale. The methodology integrates geological, geographical, and infrastructural constraints using a multi-criteria screening approach. National datasets describing bedrock lithology, rock competence, structural complexity, land-use constraints, and proximity to existing energy and relevant infrastructure were combined and analysed to identify regions for further exploration for hosting lined rock caverns.

Using the UK as a case study, the results demonstrated that there were substantial areas across the UK that met the fundamental requirements for lined rock cavern-based hydrogen storage, particularly in regions underlain by mechanically competent crystalline rock, critically near regions of high industrial demand and energy infrastructure. Scenario-based assessments indicated that individual lined rock cavern installations could provide hydrogen storage capacities sufficient to supply regional industrial demand for several days to weeks, depending on cavern dimensions and operating conditions.

These findings confirmed that lined rock caverns constitute a technically viable storage option for near-term hydrogen deployment in the UK. The presented methodology provides a transparent and transferable framework that could support the future development of lined rock caverns and support strategic planning and policy decisions regarding hydrogen storage in the UK and beyond.