The planned transformation of the energy system in the EU and Germany—with the goal of climate neutrality by 2050 and 2045, respectively—is leading to a structural decline in the crude oil and petroleum business. At the same time, this decline opens up strategic potential for underground storage of alternative energy carriers at the Rüstringen site.

This presents the German Petroleum Stockpiling Association (EBV) and the North West German Petroleum Stockpiling Company (NWKG) with the opportunity to utilize existing crude oil caverns and available salt rights for the development of a storage infrastructure for these alternative energy carriers.

Initial technical, economic, and permitting work has already been initiated.