JOURNAL: Revising the theoretical storage potential of hydrogen in UK salt caverns: a multi-criteria assessment of the east coast of England
Summary
Authors:
Christian Garvey
Tim Armitage
James Todd
Maria Noone
Joe Seakins
Katriona Edlmann
Ove Arup & Partners Ltd
British Geological Survey
The University of Edinburgh
Revising the theoretical storage potential of hydrogen in UK salt caverns: a multi-criteria assessment of the east coast of England
Geoenergy
April 2026
This paper looks at how much hydrogen could realistically be stored in underground salt caverns along England’s east coast, an important question for the UK’s plan to use hydrogen in decarbonising industry and balancing energy supply. Unlike earlier estimates, the study factors in real-world constraints such as land use, and existing industrial and environmental restrictions, alongside the geology of suitable salt deposits. This more cautious approach cuts previous storage estimates by around 95%, though the region could still store over 22 TWh of hydrogen. The main challenge now is time: building large-scale salt cavern storage takes years, meaning careful planning and investment are needed to make this potential a reality by 2050.