The provision of energy and its storage are central elements in the development, design and organisation of economies worldwide. At present, fossil energy sources from permeable, porous rock formations and reservoirs (crude oil, natural gas, coal) still supply the largest share of energy, and temporally variable demand is, for example, smoothed by pumped-storage hydropower plants.

A key advantage of fossil energy sources and geothermal energy is their ability to provide baseload power. The growing production of renewable energy from solar and wind, whose availability varies in time and space, requires large-scale storage systems to meet demand. Georeservoirs — i.e. geological, porous and permeable rock formations — are well suited to this. Energy can be temporarily stored in them, for example as surplus heat, hydrogen or natural gas, and produced again when needed.

Over recent decades, the LIAG Institute for Applied Geophysics has earned an international reputation for the exploration and characterisation of geothermal reservoirs. The technical and scientific approaches and methods can be applied directly to the topic of georeservoirs.

Moreover, in the North German Basin — and thus in Lower Saxony — suitable georeservoirs are widespread due to the geological setting, and a research network, specialised industrial companies and the relevant authorities are already established to advance their utilisation.