ESA supports new research highlighting the critical role of North Sea hydrogen storage in achieving UK net zero
The Energy Storage Association (ESA) has welcomed new research from Durham Energy Institute at Durham University, which demonstrates the significant role that large-scale hydrogen storage in depleted North Sea oil and gas fields could play in delivering a secure, affordable and decarbonised UK energy system.
The study finds that the UK could store enough green hydrogen underground to meet the country’s projected electricity demand for up to seven years, creating a long-duration energy reserve capable of supporting the transition to a fully net-zero power system.
Using detailed half-hourly electricity generation and demand data, alongside future energy demand modelling, researchers mapped a range of hydrogen storage scenarios and assessed their impact on the UK’s energy mix. The findings indicate that large-scale hydrogen production and storage, coupled with continued renewable energy deployment, could eliminate the need for gas-fired power generation by 2040.
The research highlights how surplus electricity generated by wind and solar power could be converted into green hydrogen through electrolysis and stored in repurposed North Sea oil and gas reservoirs. With a potential storage capacity exceeding 3,500 TWh, these assets could provide the long-duration and seasonal energy storage required to balance future electricity demand and maintain energy security during periods of low renewable generation.
As the trade body representing the energy storage sector, the Energy Storage Association supports the research’s conclusion that achieving net zero will require a diverse portfolio of storage technologies operating at different timescales.
The research also points to the limitations of relying solely on existing hydrogen storage developments. While current projects, including salt cavern storage facilities, will play an important role, the modelling suggests that significantly larger storage volumes will be required to fully capture the benefits of renewable energy generation and unlock hydrogen’s potential within the future energy system.
By combining geological assessment with detailed energy system modelling, the researchers concluded that only a high-storage hydrogen scenario—drawing on additional depleted oil and gas fields—could completely remove the need for gas-fired power generation by 2040. Under this scenario, hydrogen would act as a strategic reserve, absorbing excess renewable electricity and providing firm power during prolonged periods of low wind and solar output.
The research further suggests that the UK’s unique combination of extensive renewable resources and significant underground storage capacity could position the country as a future hydrogen exporter, supporting wider European energy security and decarbonisation goals.
The Energy Storage Association believes that achieving the UK’s net-zero ambitions will require coordinated investment across the entire energy storage ecosystem, including battery storage, hydrogen production, transport and storage infrastructure, and other long-duration energy storage technologies.
The Association looks forward to working with industry, government and academia to accelerate the deployment of the storage solutions needed to deliver a resilient, low-carbon energy future.
Explore the Research
Download the published paper to learn how large-scale hydrogen storage could complement battery storage and accelerate the UK's clean energy transition.
7th July 2026