HyCARE · Project

Low-Pressure Solid-State Hydrogen Storage That Reuses Waste Heat for Better Efficiency

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Imagine storing hydrogen the way a sponge soaks up water — inside a metal powder instead of crushing it into high-pressure tanks. That's what HyCARE built: a large tank filled with special metal hydride powder that absorbs hydrogen at low pressure and mild temperature. The clever twist is that the heat released when hydrogen is absorbed gets stored and reused later when you need to release it again, so you waste far less energy in the cycle. They tested this at a real energy research lab near Paris, hooked up to equipment that both produces and consumes hydrogen.

By the numbers

≥50 kg

hydrogen storage capacity per tank

<50 bar

operating pressure (vs. 350-700 bar conventional)

<100°C

operating temperature

EUR 1,999,230

EU research investment

11 partners

consortium size across 4 countries

55%

industry partner ratio in consortium

Tonnage level

industrial-scale powder production achieved

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies investing in hydrogen infrastructure face a storage dilemma: conventional high-pressure tanks (350-700 bar) are expensive, require heavy safety infrastructure, and waste energy on compression. Cryogenic liquid storage adds even more complexity and cost. There is no widely available middle-ground solution that stores meaningful quantities of hydrogen safely, compactly, and efficiently at near-ambient conditions.

The solution

What was built

The project built a prototype solid-state hydrogen storage tank using metal hydride powder, capable of storing 50 kg or more of hydrogen at below 50 bar and below 100°C. They also achieved industrial-scale production of the metal hydride powder at tonnage level and integrated the tank with a PEM electrolyzer and fuel cell at the ENGIE LAB CRIGEN demonstration site near Paris.

Audience

Who needs this

Hydrogen refueling station developers and operatorsRenewable energy companies needing long-duration storage beyond batteriesIndustrial gas distributors supplying hydrogen to manufacturingDistrict energy and combined heat-and-power system operatorsForklift and warehouse logistics companies using hydrogen-powered fleets

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Hydrogen refueling infrastructure

mid-size

Target: Operators building hydrogen refueling stations for trucks, buses, or forklifts

If you are a hydrogen refueling station operator dealing with the high cost and safety burden of 700-bar compressed storage — this project developed a solid-state hydrogen tank storing 50 kg or more at below 50 bar and below 100°C. That means simpler permitting, lower compression costs, and a footprint comparable to liquid hydrogen storage without the cryogenic equipment.

Renewable energy storage

enterprise

Target: Wind or solar farm operators needing long-duration energy storage

If you are a renewable energy developer losing revenue to curtailment because batteries only cover hours, not days — this project built and tested a hydrogen storage system integrated with a PEM electrolyzer and fuel cell. The system stores excess electricity as hydrogen at low pressure and recovers waste heat, improving round-trip energy efficiency compared to conventional hydrogen storage.

Industrial gas and chemicals

enterprise

Target: Companies producing, distributing, or consuming hydrogen in manufacturing

If you are an industrial gas supplier or a manufacturer using hydrogen in processes like steel annealing or semiconductor production — this project demonstrated industrial-scale metal hydride powder production at tonnage level. The low-pressure, low-temperature storage reduces your safety infrastructure requirements and could lower insurance and compliance costs compared to high-pressure cylinder farms.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would a system like this cost compared to conventional hydrogen storage?

The project included a techno-economic evaluation, but specific cost figures are not published in the available data. What is clear: operating below 50 bar eliminates the need for expensive multi-stage compressors required for 350-700 bar systems, and reusing stored heat improves energy efficiency — both factors that reduce total cost of ownership.

Can this scale beyond a lab demo?

Yes — the consortium already produced metal hydride powder at industrial tonnage scale, as confirmed by their deliverable on powder and pellets production. The prototype tank stores 50 kg or more of hydrogen, which is a meaningful quantity for commercial applications. With 6 industry partners (55% of the consortium), scale-up pathways are built into the project design.

Who owns the intellectual property, and can I license this technology?

The IP is held by the 11-partner consortium led by Università degli Studi di Torino (Italy). With 6 industrial partners and 3 SMEs in the consortium, there is likely commercial licensing interest. Contact the coordinator or the industrial partners directly to discuss licensing terms.

Is this technology safe for urban or industrial sites?

Operating below 50 bar and below 100°C is significantly safer than conventional 350-700 bar compressed hydrogen storage. The project explicitly targeted improved safety as a design goal. The prototype was installed and demonstrated at ENGIE LAB CRIGEN in the Paris region, which is an urban research center — evidence that permitting for populated areas is feasible.

How does this integrate with existing hydrogen equipment?

The prototype was designed for direct integration with a PEM electrolyzer (hydrogen input) and a PEM fuel cell (hydrogen output). These are standard commercial components. The coupled thermal energy storage system captures and returns heat automatically, so it fits into existing power-to-gas or hydrogen-to-power setups without major redesign.

What was the project timeline and is the technology available now?

HyCARE ran from January 2019 to July 2023 and is now closed. The prototype was built, tested, and demonstrated at ENGIE LAB CRIGEN. The technology is at demonstration stage — ready for pilot partnerships or licensing discussions, but not yet a commercial off-the-shelf product.

Consortium

Who built it

The HyCARE consortium is strongly industry-oriented: 6 out of 11 partners (55%) are from industry, including 3 SMEs, alongside 1 university and 4 research organizations across Germany, France, Italy, and Norway. This is a good sign for commercial readiness — it means the technology was designed with manufacturing and market realities in mind, not just academic publication. The coordinator is Università degli Studi di Torino (Italy), and the demonstration site is hosted by ENGIE LAB CRIGEN near Paris, which brings one of Europe's largest energy utilities into the picture. The four-country spread across major European hydrogen markets (DE, FR, IT, NO) gives the technology credibility and potential market access across the continent.

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TORINOCoordinator · IT
TECNODELTA SRLparticipant · IT
ENGIEparticipant · FR
INSTITUTT FOR ENERGITEKNIKKparticipant · NO
HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM HEREON GMBHparticipant · DE
FONDAZIONE BRUNO KESSLERparticipant · IT
GKN POWDER METALLURGY ENGINEERING GMBHparticipant · DE
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR
PARCO SCIENTIFICO TECNOLOGICO PER LAMBIENTE ENVIRONMENT PARK TORINO SPAthirdparty · IT

How to reach the team

The coordinator is Università degli Studi di Torino (Italy). SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the research team and relevant industry partners.

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TORINO profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing this hydrogen storage technology or discuss a pilot deployment? SciTransfer connects you directly with the research team — contact us for a detailed briefing.

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