RAG Austria AG & ENERGIEALLIANZ Austria: green power for Gampern hydrogen plant
- From June 2025 until at least the end of 2026 the Gampern electrolysis plant will receive 3 GWh of green electricity annually from Austrian renewable sources.
- The Rubensdorf demonstration converts 100% green electricity to hydrogen by electrolysis and stores it in the Underground Sun Storage under the EUH2STARS project.
- The storage facility has been operating since April 2023, is the world's first 100% hydrogen storage in an underground porous reservoir and has a 4.2 GWh capacity (~surplus of ~1,000 single‑family PV systems).
- RAG and NATURKRAFT, with E‑Control, standardised conversion of electricity origin certificates into hydrogen origin certificates and ensure production compliant with RFNBO requirements.
Power supply agreement
NATURKRAFT, a subsidiary of ENERGIEALLIANZ Austria, will supply RAG Austria’s Gampern electrolysis plant with three gigawatt hours of green electricity annually from June 2025 until at least the end of 2026, sourced from 100% Austrian renewables. RAG frames the work as enabling seasonal storage of summer electricity to secure winter supply and support domestic value creation.
Rubensdorf pilot and storage
The cross‑sector Rubensdorf demonstration converts 100% green electricity into hydrogen via electrolysis and stores it in the Underground Sun Storage as part of the EUH2STARS follow‑up project. The plant has been in operation since April 2023 and is described as the world’s first 100% hydrogen storage in an underground porous reservoir, with a storage volume of 4.2 GWh—equivalent to the summer surplus of about 1,000 single‑family home PV systems.
Quality assurance and standards
RAG and NATURKRAFT worked with E‑Control to standardise the conversion of electricity origin certificates into hydrogen origin certificates, creating a uniform proof pathway for green hydrogen production. The process is intended to ensure compliance with strict European standards and RFNBO requirements.
Industrial scale‑up and policy
The partners aim to keep value creation in Austria, reduce imports of costly technologies and use the cooperation as a basis for further industrial applications. They position the project as a flagship to demonstrate market‑ready hydrogen storage, support CO₂ reduction and strengthen Austria’s energy independence while urging appropriate regulatory framework conditions.
Source: RAG Austria AG