An international consortium led by Swedish grid-scale energy storage company Mine Storage has been granted funding to finalize the blueprint for what could be the world’s first underground mine storage facility.
The funding will be used to complete the application for EU funding. The work is conducted within the Strategic Innovation Program Swedish Mining Innovation, a collaboration between Sweden’s Innovation Agency, Formas and Sweden’s Energy Agency.
The consortium consists of mining companies Boliden and Lovisagruvan, energy company Mälarenergi, hydropower equipment manufacturer Voith Hydro and engineering and design company AFRY. Under direction of Mine Storage, the consortium will join forces to compile a complete blueprint for setting up a commercial mine storage facility in the historical mining area of Bergslagen in Sweden, including all the steps in the process from initial landowner and authority approval, to a grid-connected energy storage and supply facility..
“I am very pleased that we have been able to team up with such competent partners to create a blueprint that will define the EU-application for what could be the first underground mine storage facility in the world, and it feels natural to do it in an energy and mining nation such as Sweden,” said Thomas Johansson, Co-Founder and CEO of Mine Storage. “The leverage grant is a clear indication of the increased interest in the global potential of using abandoned mines for energy storage.”
