Hydrogen storage for the purposes of the automotive industry in a form other than under high pressure or cryo conditions has been under careful investigation by researchers over past decades. One of the arising methods is the usage of powdered/granulated beds that contain metal hydrides and/or carbon materials to take advantage of the “spillover” phenomenon. Handling and characterization of such material can be troublesome, which is why the experimental setup needs careful investigation. The apparatus for the analysis of hydrogen sorption/desorption characteristics has been successfully designed and described based on the constructed unit within the scope of this article. The full functionality of that setup covered fuelling the bed as well as the examination of sorption/desorption potential. Moreover, the proposed experimental device can clarify many uncertainties about further development and optimization of hydrogen storage materials.

On May 17, 2018, the National Center for Research and Development announced the initiation of a new procedure within the Hydrogen Storage Program. The objective was to develop a Hydrogen Storage System for use with fuel cells and its demonstration in a Mobile Facility. This is to create an alternative to the use of fossil fuels and create a field for competition in creating solutions in the field of access to “clean” energy. The National Center for Research and Development is responsible for the development of assumptions, regulations and implementation.

The analysis presents the main assumptions of the program is correlated to the current legal situation related to the financing of Research and Development. An in-depth study concerns the ways of using innovative partnership and its placement in the system of European Union legal acts. The idea of the pre-commercial procurement procedure (Pre-Commercial Procurement), which was developed to support the implementation of prototypes of solutions – resulting from research and development – with a high potential for possible commercialization, was described in details. This procedure is characterized by ensuring the financing of a product or service at an early stage of development. Although this creates the risk of failure of the project, it stimulates technological development.

Nowadays, hydrogen is considered a potential successor to the current fossil-fuel-based energy. Within a few years, it will be an essential energy carrier, and an economy based on hydrogen will require appropriate hydrogen storage systems. Due to their large capacity, underground geological structures (deep aquifers, depleted hydrocarbon fields, salt caverns) are being considered for hydrogen storage. Their use for this purpose requires an understanding of geological and reservoir conditions, including an analysis of the preparation and operation of underground hydrogen storage. The results of hydrogen injection and withdrawal modeling in relation to the deep Lower Jurassic, saline aquifer of the Konary geological structure (trap) are presented in this paper. A geological model of the considered structure was built, allowable pressures were estimated, the time period of the initial hydrogen filling of the underground storage was determined and thirty cycles of underground storage operations (gas injection and withdrawal) were simulated. The simulations made it possible to determine the essential parameters affecting underground hydrogen storage operation: maximum flow rate of injected hydrogen, total capacity, working gas and cushion gas capacity. The best option for hydrogen storage is a two-year period of initial filling, using the least amount of cushion gas. Extracted water will pose a problem in relation to its disposal. The obtained results are essential for the analysis of underground hydrogen storage operations and affect the economic aspects of UHS in deep aquifers.