Hydrogen is a key element in the energy transition. However, current transport and storage technologies for hydrogen are not yet cost-effective, leaving the hydrogen market in the Netherlands underdeveloped.

Storage poses challenges due to its flammability, low density, and the need to store it under high pressure. Transport and seasonal storage are therefore complex and costly. Team SOLID has developed a scalable and cost-reducing solution for this: Iron-based Hydrogen Storage (IRHYS).

IRHYS uses iron pellets as a storage medium, instead of storing hydrogen under high pressure. By reducing iron oxide with hydrogen, the energy from the hydrogen can be stored in the iron and subsequently released again through the oxidation of iron with water. This process can be repeated many times. Iron thus serves as a cyclic energy carrier that stores hydrogen safely, economically, and for long periods. This process produces no waste and zero CO2 emissions. In addition, the stored hydrogen can be efficiently and cost-effectively transported both regionally and intercontinentally. This cycle has been successfully implemented in our Proof-of-Concept, the Steam Iron Reactor 1 (SIR1).

An internal techno-economic study, verified by DNV, shows that the expected price of hydrogen per kilogram can be reduced using IRHYS technology: by 27% compared to liquid hydrogen and by 37% compared to pressurized hydrogen. For long-term storage applications, this cost reduction is even greater: an 82% decrease for a storage duration of 60 days compared to liquid hydrogen. These results will be verified with our second prototype, the Steam Iron Reactor 2.