From December 2020, the “Underground Sun Conver- sion – Flexible Storage” (USC-FlexStore) project will investigate seasonal storage of large quantities of renewable energy to be made available year round.
This innovative international project is carried out with Swiss partners under the leadership of Energie 360°. It aims at developing a seasonal, high-volume transformation and storage solution for erratic renewable generation. Energy will be stored safely in gaseous form in underground facilities at depths of over 1,000 metres.
The aim of the project is to take RAG Austria AG’s patented “Underground Sun Conversion” (USC) technology (which involves methanation of CO2 and green H2) to the next level, and to design services based on it. Field tests are planned at RAG‘s research facility in Pilsbach (Upper Austria).

The project will provide a first estimation of the potential for geological storage of energy in Switzerland using the „USC FlexStore“ approach. This process serves as a blueprint for future expansion to other regions around the world, and in turn as a model for the internationalisation of the concept.

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