Secure Underground Caverns as an Energy Storage Solution (SUCcESS)

SUCcESS项目将提供一个路线图，概述如何将BUL开发为岩盐行为的原位研究中心，这与支持天然气储存所需的解决方案开采洞穴的开发有关，以支持英国的净零能源目标。支持路线图开发的证据基础将由对岩盐地质和洞穴储存相关研究感兴趣的利益相关者（行业、学术界、监管机构）提供。该路线图将通过审查现有数据和新获得的数据来补充，这些数据描述了该设施的基线地质条件。这将为新项目的建立提供良好的支持资源。可再生能源为英国提供了一种清洁能源，但发电量往往无法满足需求。这一点，再加上确保能源安全的需要，将有必要增加电网规模的存储。天然气储存（压缩空气（CAES）或氢气（CHGS））与可再生能源一起工作，在电网规模上提供近乎瞬时的电力，增加容量并消除间歇性，并促进可再生能源用于基本负荷能源生产。CAES和CHGS系统利用非高峰时段产生的多余能量将压缩气体储存在大型物体中，并在需要时释放出来发电。这对1)英国通过减少燃烧化石燃料产生的二氧化碳排放量来实现脱碳的承诺具有重要意义；2)通过启用英国可再生能源来改善英国的资源安全；3)支持发展可行的以英国为基础的氢经济；4)提供机会，使英国在这些新兴技术的研究和创新方面处于领先地位。几十年来，盐石已经成功地用于天然气储存，但与工业发电的需求相比，现有设施的储存容量有限。与天然气储存不同，CAES和CHGS经历了快速的提取和再填充循环，相应的压力和温度变化也很快；这可能导致材料开裂和失效。为了在快速循环洞穴加压储能方面获得足够的知识基础，现场测试设施是实现这一目标的唯一现实方法。成功项目的三个综合活动将为博尔比地下实验室（BUL）和STFC提供在该研究领域提供基础设施和能力的专业知识：A1：利益相关者参与-举办一系列有组织和有针对性的利益相关者参与研讨会，创建专家网络，建立知识库，以发展和指导未来在BUL的应用地球科学和地球能源研究。向更广泛的地球科学社区推广该设施。A2：数据发现和现场试点测试-建立现有的地球科学数据，这些数据将对建立地球能源研究设施有用，突出显示公共领域已有的相关知识，避免重复成本和努力。通过一些具体和明确的试点测试来增加数据发现，以确认BUL主办地能源研究的可行性。A3：知识转移-与BUL的员工合作，协助地下设施的开发。这将需要能够利用地下进行项目，并将考虑到完整的地质系统（可用于测试的岩石体积、地球化学、工程地质、进入墙壁、屋顶和底板的基岩部分）。成功的高潮将是一个路线图，详细说明潜在的研究主题，优化地质环境可在伊斯坦布尔的地球能源研究，以配合英国政府的净零议程。A1的利益相关者研讨会将提炼出将构成路线图的重要研究主题。每个研究主题将包括一系列潜在的项目，随着设施的发展，这些项目可以在BUL开发。

The SUCcESS project will deliver a roadmap outlining how BUL could be developed as a center for in-situ research on halite behaviour, which is relevant to support the development of solution-mined caverns required for gas storage to support the UK net-zero energy ambitions. The evidence base to support the roadmap development will be informed by stakeholders (industry, academia, regulatory) with a working interest in research associated with halite geology and cavern storage. This roadmap will be supplemented by a review of existing data and newly acquired data that characterizes the baseline geological conditions at the facility. This will give an excellent support resource from which new projects can build.Renewable energies provide a clean alternative to power the UK but generation is often unmatched to demand. This, coupled with the need to ensure energy security, will necessitate an increase in grid-scale storage. Gas storage (compressed air (CAES) or hydrogen (CHGS)), working alongside renewable energies, provides near instantaneous electricity on the grid-scale, adding capacity and removing intermittency, and facilitating the use of renewables for baseload energy production. CAES and CHGS systems store compressed gas in large bodies using excess energy generated at off-peak times, releasing it as required to produce electricity. This has important implications for 1) the UK's commitment to decarbonise by reducing CO2 outputs from burning fossil fuels; 2) improving UK resource security by enabling UK renewables; 3) supporting the development of a viable UK-based hydrogen economy; 4) providing the opportunity to put the UK at the forefront of research and innovation in these emergent technologies. Halite has been successfully used for natural gas storage for decades, but existing facilities offer limited storage capacity compared to requirements for industrial power generation. Unlike natural gas storage, CAES and CHGS experience rapid withdrawal and refilling cycles with corresponding rapid pressure and temperature changes; this can lead to material cracking and failure. To generate an adequate knowledge base in fast-cycling cavern pressurisation for energy storage, an in-situ testing facility is the only realistic way to accomplish this. The three integrated activities of the SUCcESS project will provide Boulby Underground Laboratory (BUL) and STFC with the expertise to deliver infrastructure and capability in this research field:A1: Stakeholder engagement- Host a series of structured and targeted stakeholder engagement workshops to create an experts' network and establish a knowledge base to develop and direct future applied geosciences and geo-energy research at BUL. Promote the facility to the wider geoscience community.A2: Data discovery and In-situ pilot testing- Establish what geoscience data already exists that would be useful in the creation of a geo-energy research facility, highlighting the relevant knowledge already in the public domain and avoiding duplication of cost and effort. Augment the data discovery with a few specific and well-defined pilot tests to confirm the feasibility of BUL to host geo-energy research.A3: Knowledge transfer- Engage with staff at BUL to aid the underground facility development. This will be required to enable the delivery of projects utilizing the subsurface and will take account of the complete geological system (volume of rock available to test, geochemistry, engineering geology, access to bedrock sections in walls, roof and floor).The culmination of SUCcESS will be a roadmap detailing potential research themes that optimise the geological environment available at BUL for geo-energy research to align with the UK government's net-zero agenda. The stakeholder workshops in A1 will distill the important research themes that will frame the roadmap. Each research theme will comprise a series of potential projects that could be developed in BUL as the facility develops.