China launches salt cavern hydrogen project

April 29, 2026

China has officially launched its first large-scale salt cavern hydrogen storage demonstration project in Pingdingshan, located in central Henan Province. This milestone signals a major step forward in the industrial development of the nation’s hydrogen energy sector.

At the project’s inauguration, Yang Chunhe, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, emphasized that salt cavern hydrogen storage is a critical solution for overcoming challenges in large-scale hydrogen storage and transportation. He noted that this technology will play a vital role in advancing China’s transition toward a modern, sustainable energy system.

The initiative leverages high-quality salt rock formations owned by a gas storage and salt chemical enterprise under China Pingmei Shenma. Core technological innovations were spearheaded by the Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, while engineering design and construction were supported by major energy companies, including CNPC and Sinopec.

According to Liang Wuxing, deputy chief economist of China Pingmei Shenma, the project is designed to develop a salt cavern with a dissolved volume exceeding 30,000 cubic meters, capable of storing up to 1.5 million standard cubic meters of hydrogen.

Currently, the facility operates with two compressors that inject hydrogen at a pressure of 15 MPa, maintaining a flow rate of 2,000 standard cubic meters per hour.

Yang confirmed that the project successfully demonstrates both the long-term sealing integrity and the technical viability of hydrogen storage in layered salt formations.

Project engineers also highlighted future plans to expand hydrogen applications, including blending hydrogen with natural gas, powering heavy-duty transport vehicles, and utilizing hydrogen in industrial boiler systems—paving the way for broader adoption of clean hydrogen energy.