Techno-economic analysis of hydrogen storage options using a reproducible software model

Hydrogen storage is essential for future energy systems, yet existing techno-economic studies often lack open-access, harmonized frameworks capable of benchmarking diverse storage pathways within overlapping dynamic conditions. This study fills this gap by developing a transparent, reproducible, and open-source techno-economic framework to assess compressed gaseous (CGH 2 ), liquid (LH 2 ), and salt cavern (SC) storage using a programmatic MATLAB-based model. The framework quantifies levelized cost of storage (LCOS), scalability, and operational flexibility across diverse capacities and cycling regimes. Results show CGH 2 suits short-term, distributed use (LCOS: 1.6–4.5 €/kg above 25 tonnes and 50 cycles/year). LH 2 becomes competitive at large scales (LCOS ≈ 2.0 €/kg above 1000 tonnes) despite liquefaction penalties. SCs achieve the lowest LCOS (0.5–2.6 €/kg above 2500 tonnes) for large-scale, long-duration storage. Sensitivity analysis identifies material costs, discount rate, and electricity prices as critical drivers. This open framework enables standardized multi-scenario decision-making for global hydrogen infrastructure deployment.