HyDRA – diagnostic tools and risk protocols to accelerate underground hydrogen storage
HyDRA is a European project focused on enabling safe and efficient underground hydrogen storage through experimental and modeling studies of microbial risks, biogeochemical interactions and flow behavior in subsurface porous media as part of the European hydrogen ecosystem.
About the research project
Officially launched on 1 January 2025, HyDRA was awarded €3 million in funding by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and its members. This pioneering EU-funded project aims to advance the understanding and implementation of underground hydrogen storage (UHS) across Europe.
HyDRA gathers together eight leading research institutions and one enterprise across six countries: BGR, ESZN, IDAEA-CSIC, ISO, KIT, TUC, UEDIN, UiB and UNINA. Together, they are collaboratively addressing the critical need for large-scale hydrogen storage solutions to support Europe’s transition to a low-carbon energy future.
HyDRA also partners with a network of storage site operators (SSOs) to ensure comprehensive coverage across Europe and minimize duplication of research efforts. The project encompasses more than 20 sedimentary basins across Europe, representing a diverse range of geological conditions, pressures, temperatures, and depths.
Project consortium
- BGR (Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources)
- ESZN (Earth Sciences New Zealand)
- IDAEA-CSIC (Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research at Spanish National Research Council)
- ISO (Isodetect GmbH)
- KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)
- TUC (Clausthal University of Technology)
- UEDIN (University of Edinburgh)
- UiB (University of Bergen)
- UNINA (University of Naples Federico II)
Featured
People
Project manager
Martin Fernø Project Coordinator
Project members
Merry H. Navjord Project Manager
Geir Ersland Professor
Na Liu Researcher
Frank Viveros Acosta PhD Candidate
Contact
- Emails
- contacthydra@uib.no
Funding
The project is supported by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and its members. Co-funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101192337 — HyDRA. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Clean Hydrogen Partnership. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.