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Working together for a green energy future
RAG has a long track record of collaborating closely with major science and industry partners to develop new technologies that will make it possible to efficiently store and utilise large volumes of renewable energy. This includes projects for seasonal hydrogen storage, development of a range of technologies related to green gas, and innovations in transport.
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WIVA P&G
As RAG Austria AG, we are initiator and founder of WIVA Power & Gas. WIVA P&G is an association for funding the research and development in the fields of application, net and storage technologies for hydrogen and renewable gases. The association supports disseminations of these activities as well.
The association is entrusted with the coordination of the flagship region of the same name “Wasserstoffinitiative Vorzeigeregion Austria Power & Gas”. It pursues the goal of demonstrating the conversion of the Austrian economy to a CO2-neutral structure with the production and use of renewable hydrogen as a core component in the areas “Green Energy”, “Green Industry” and “Green Mobility”.
With our projects USS 2030, C-CED and USC-FlexStore we are part of the flagship region.
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HI2 Valley
The HI2 Valley (Hydrogen Industry Inland Valley) is Europe's first hydrogen valley focused on industrial applications in Styria, Upper Austria, and Carinthia. With 48 national and international partners 588 million euros will be invested in the HI2 Valley by 2030 to drive CO2 reduction, implement real projects, and play a central role in Europe’s hydrogen system.
The comprehensive project plans to achieve national and European climate targets, energy independence, and a transition to clean energy. The HI2 Valley will create about 1,000 jobs and contribute significantly to the decarbonization of energy-intensive industries.
As one of the largest energy storage operators in Europe, RAG Austria is a pioneer in hydrogen production, storage and utilization and thus part of the HI2 Valley.
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HyStorage
The HyStorage research project aims to investigate the influence of hydrogen on porous rock formations in order to determine the feasibility and integrity of pore storage facilities for the storage of hydrogen. For this purpose, a specialized gas-technical unit for the storage test was set up on a designated drilling site at Uniper Energy Storage's Bierwang site. Commissioning and the injection of first hydrogen have already taken place.
Uniper Energy Storage is the consortium leader, operator and responsible for the test under mining law. The consortium is further consisting of the companies OGE, RAG Austria, SEFE Securing Energy for Europe and NAFTA, which contribute their expertise, and is also supported by interdisciplinary partners from industry and science. The project has been approved by the Southern Bavarian Mining Authority.
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Cooperation with Montanuniversität Leoben
Together with INTECO, RAG supports the Hydrogen and Carbon Research Center of the Montanuniversität in Leoben-Leitendorf.
The Hydrogen and Carbon Research Center plays a key role in research into hydrogen and carbon technologies along the entire value chain. The main focus is on the effective and sustainable use of resources. The two elements hydrogen and carbon are considered key components for a climate-friendly industry and energy sector. The new research center will conduct research into topics such as the CO2-neutral production of hydrogen and solid carbon by splitting methane. Furthermore, the material use of biomass residual material streams, the refinement of carbon, e.g. for applications in agriculture, and the use of hydrogen in metallurgical processes will be investigated. A variety of state-of-the-art processes are applied that are based on the use of renewable energies. These sustainable technologies have the potential to make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions and thus to the necessary transformation of the industry, energy and mobility sectors.
Another research focus is the use of carbon in agriculture. This approach contributes to improving soil quality, which has been shown to increase the resilience of crops to drought stress. In addition, both yields for farmers can be increased and greenhouse gas emissions reduced.
Website of Montanuniversität Leoben
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Liquefied (bio-)gas - Cooperation with Kanadevia Inova AG
A collaboration between Kanadevia Inova AG and RAG is opening the way for new advances towards a green fuel future. RAG has a long track record as a pioneer in the use of LNG in transportation. Since 2017 the company has been employing ultra-low temperature compression (ULTC) technology to manufacture low-emission LNG fuel, which is marketed via the first Austrian LNG filling stations in Ennshafen (Upper Austria), as well as in Graz (Styria) and Ort im Innkreis (Upper Austria) in cooperation with petrol station operator Leitner.
With biogas as a starting point, LNG – already a low-emission product – is turned into a renewable transport fuel: LBG (Liquefied Biogas). Opting for biogas means that truck operation is carbon neutral, as the gas is renewable, and is locally produced in Austria. The strict environmental requirements of the Euro 6 emissions standard can easily be met by LNG. In comparison with diesel, LNG cuts emissions of sulphur oxide and fine particulates by 95%, those of nitrogen oxide by over 70%, and those of carbon dioxide by up to 15%. Noise emissions from LNG vehicles can be as much as 50% lower than those of diesel vehicles. In other words, LNG already offers the possibility of environmentally friendly mobility.