Germany invests in hydrogen storage in formate salts
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Allocates €2.8 Million for FormaPort Project on Hydrogen Storage
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has allocated €2.8 million for the FormaPort project, which aims to develop a system for storing and transporting hydrogen in the form of safe formate salts. Research conducted in Rostock is intended to create an alternative to expensive and risky methods of hydrogen liquefaction or compression.
A New Approach to the Hydrogen Storage Challenge
Hydrogen is seen as a key energy carrier in the energy transition. However, its widespread deployment still faces significant barriers, primarily related to storage and transport. Standard methods, such as high-pressure compression or liquefaction at extremely low temperatures, are costly and pose safety risks.
The FormaPort project, carried out in Rostock and funded by the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with €2.8 million, aims to develop an alternative. Scientists and engineers are creating a system for chemical hydrogen storage in formate salts. This would allow hydrogen to be stored and transported under normal conditions without the need for extreme technologies.
Partnership Between Science and Industry
The project, with a total budget of €4.4 million, involves:
- Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT) – research on catalysts for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation processes,
- Wismar University of Applied Sciences – analysis of crystallization, separation, and continuous processing of salts,
- TAB GmbH – design and construction of energy-efficient crystallizers,
- Akros Energy (a subsidiary of H2APEX) – consortium leader, responsible for scaling the technology and building demonstration plants.
This interdisciplinary collaboration also facilitates the training of a new generation of specialists, including doctoral students within research programs at Wismar University.
Why Formates?
Formic acid salts offer several advantages over competing hydrogen carriers:
- Non-toxic and non-flammable – unlike ammonia,
- Easy handling and transport – can be stored as a solid or aqueous solution,
- Reversible process – hydrogen can be bound and released using catalysts,
- Environmentally compatible – no harmful emissions during the storage and conversion cycle.
In practice, this means hydrogen could be safely imported from regions with production surpluses (e.g., North Africa or the Middle East) and unloaded at ports such as Rostock.
Currently, tests are being conducted under laboratory conditions at LIKAT. The next step is to build pilot plants at H2APEX in Rostock-Laage. Ultimately, the technology could also be applied in planned import terminals that have so far considered ammonia as the hydrogen carrier.
Significance for the Energy Market
FormaPort has the potential to set new standards in hydrogen logistics. The combination of low operational risk, environmental compatibility, and scalability makes formates an attractive alternative to traditional methods.
As Prof. Mathias Wilichowski from Wismar University emphasizes: “Interdisciplinary collaboration among partners forms the foundation for developing a scalable hydrogen storage and transport system. The project’s results could significantly influence the future of the hydrogen energy market.”