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Hydrogen storage to overcome the intermittency of renewable energies
Mis à jour le
March 6, 2026
5
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It is a well-known fact that much of the production of renewable energy is subject to intermittency. It is therefore essential to set up energy storage systems to preserve it when demand is low and to make it available when it is high.
With this in mind, France is closely interested in hydrogen storage which could well be the solution to the intermittency of renewable energies (EnR). SirEnergies explains to you what it is and how this energy vector can compensate for this intermittency of renewable energies.
The intermittency of renewable energies, a brake on the energy transition
By 2030, the government has set itself the goal of bringing back to 33% the share of renewables in the French energy mix. In their development, these renewable energies are strongly limited by major disadvantages: the intermittency and difficulty of storage.
Considering the most well-known renewable electricity sources such as solar and wind, their performance fluctuates enormously depending on weather conditions. A wind turbine, for example, will produce more electrical power during windy days. As for photovoltaic panels, they perform better on sunny days.
In this regard, it has been shown that in winter, the production of solar energy Recorded A drop of 60% while consumption this season was 40 per cent above average due to heating requirements. This intermittency of renewable energies is a serious obstacle to their development.
Hydrogen storage, an alternative of choice to mitigate the intermittency of renewable energies
One solution to overcome the intermittency of renewable electricity is conservation. Currently, the most used storage method is undoubtedly the use of lithium-ion batteries. This technology makes it possible to store small quantities of electricity over a period of no more than a few days. Although their efficiency is quite high (70 to 80%), their high costs coupled with their limited storage capacity don't make it the ideal solution.
On the other hand, the storage of electricity by Hydrogen is a great alternative. And for good reason, this energy vector makes it possible to preserve large quantities of electricity over several months. It has also been affirmed that the intermittency of renewable energies (wind and solar) could be alleviated by the storage of energy by hydrogen thanks to an optimization of their electrical production capacity.
During a period of peak production in renewable energy plants, the surplus can thus be used in the production of Hydrogen. It can then be stored properly and converted back into electricity during periods of low production. This will make the development of renewable energies more flexible and give them the sustainable nature necessary for them to become a dominant source of energy.
How is hydrogen stored?
The process of electricity storage in the form of hydrogen is carried out in several stages. Initially, electricity is produced using renewable assets such as solar and wind. This energy is then transformed into green hydrogen by electrolysis of water. The hydrogen obtained is stored and then transformed back into electricity at the appropriate time through a fuel cell.
Fuel cell - Source: H2 mobile
Transformation of renewable electricity into hydrogen
One of the processes usually used to produce hydrogen from renewable electricity is electrolysis. This phenomenon, which requires water, takes place in an electrolyzer.
Let's focus a little on the composition of a water molecule for a better understanding of this phenomenon. The chemical formula for water is H2O. Water therefore contains one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms which can be separated by electrolysis.
During this process, an electric current is passed through the water. This allows the release of a dihydrogen molecule and a dioxygen molecule. This reaction does not cause any emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Electrolysis Of the water thus makes it possible to produce green hydrogen or clean hydrogen.
Even today, however, almost all (95%) of hydrogen is produced fromfossil fuels through processes such as the reforming of natural gas with water vapor and gasification. These are very polluting, as they emit large quantities of greenhouse gases.
Hydrogen storage
Hydrogen is stored in gas cylinders at standard pressure or in spherical containers for large quantities (greater than 15,000 Nm³). Upstream, it is first compressed to facilitate its storage in a usable volume.
In fact, hydrogen, or more precisely dihydrogen, has a high energy mass density, but a low volume density. Once compressed, this gas is generally transported by a more or less extensive network of pipelines. Hydrogen can also be stored in underground saline cavities.
Generation of electricity from hydrogen
In times of shortage, stored hydrogen is then used to produce electricity. This operation is done thanks to A fuel cell (PAC), still known under the name of a hydrogen fuel cell. It is an electricity generator capable of converting chemical energy into electrical energy.
Different types of heat pumps exist and allow this production of electricity from hydrogen. The most common is undoubtedly the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC).
In it, dihydrogen is introduced in the gaseous state at the level of the anode. This oxidation reaction breaks the dihydrogen molecule and releases electrons and protons.
The presence of a membrane makes it possible to block the electrons which then join the cathode. Electric current is created thanks to this displacement of electrons. Hence the return of the electricity stored during the previous phase.
Why is hydrogen difficult to store?
A lot of locks have to be removed to large-scale use of hydrogen storage of renewable energies. These challenges include the high costs, difficult storage and low energy efficiency of this solution.
First of all, green hydrogen is very expensive and its large-scale deployment requires a significant reduction in costs throughout its value chain. The production of this energy vector is, for example, 2 to 3 times more expensive than steam reforming.
Likewise, hydrogen storage is far from being an easy task. Its density must in fact be increased upstream before being stored in gaseous form at high pressure, solid, or in liquid form at −250° C. The low energy efficiency of hydrogen storage is also a major challenge for this sector that is still emerging.
Hydrogen storage of renewable energies is a very promising market. With the political will and research to improve this storage system, the intermittency of renewable energies could be combined with the past in the not too distant future.
To go further, do not hesitate to consult our article: What are the challenges of electricity storage?
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L'hydroélectricité est-elle une énergie "propre" ?
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Cependant, la construction de barrages nécessite des mesures pour protéger les écosystèmes (débit minimum, passes à poissons).
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The subscribed power must be calculated according to the consumption profile and uses (heating, industrial processes, tertiary equipment). One fine analysis makes it possible to ensure the adequacy between real need and contract.
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