Hydrogen Storage Technologies Emerge as Critical Challenge for Decarbonizing Energy Sector

Strategic Insights -

A new research study, published by the University of Turin, has highlighted the importance of hydrogen storage technologies in the transition to a decarbonized energy sector. The study, funded by the European Union's Next Generation EU program, reveals that storage is a significant challenge in the development of large-scale hydrogen supply chains. The researchers identified 30 relevant studies on hydrogen storage, which were classified into five categories based on the type of storage application.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study reviews Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) literature focused exclusively on hydrogen as an energy vector, aiming to identify areas for improvement, highlight effective solutions, and point out research gaps.
  • The researchers conducted a systematic search in the SCOPUS database, resulting in the identification of 30 relevant studies on hydrogen storage.
  • The majority of the selected studies focus on storing hydrogen in compressed gas tanks, with 33% of the analyzed articles assessing only greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 10% evaluating only two environmental impact categories, including GHGs.
  • Storage methods associated with the lowest emissions include metal hydrides and underground hydrogen storage.
  • Future studies should adopt more comprehensive approaches by analyzing a wider range of hydrogen storage technologies and considering multiple environmental impact categories in LCA.
  • The study emphasizes the importance of integrating environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability to support well-informed, balanced decisions for the sustainable development of hydrogen storage systems.

Statistics:

  • 30 studies were identified in the SCOPUS database related to hydrogen storage.
  • 33% of the analyzed articles assess only greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
  • 10% of the analyzed articles evaluate only two environmental impact categories, including GHGs.
  • 5 categories were identified for storing hydrogen based on the type of storage application.

Sources:

  • Life Cycle Assessments In Hydrogen-based Energy Storage Systems. Journal of Energy Storage, 2025; 133.
  • NewsRx. Studies from University of Turin Reveal New Findings on Environmental Impact (Life Cycle Assessments In Hydrogen-based Energy Storage Systems). Ecology, Environment & Conservation. October 24, 2025; p 1524.