Underground energy storage: Key scientific challenges and frontier directions in the energy transition

Authors

  • Jifang Wan China Energy Deep Underground Technology (Hubei) Co., Ltd, Wuhan 430060, P. R. China
  • Wei Liu School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
  • Yu Shi Faculty of Geosciences and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, P. R. China
  • Tao Meng School of Energy Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology, Taiyuan 030021, P. R. China
  • Jianchao Cai State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, P. R. China(Email: caijc@cup.edu.cn)

Abstract

The intermittency and volatility of renewable energy sources critically constrain their large‑scale grid integration, positioning underground energy storage  as an indispensable solution for the energy transition. This editorial provides a comprehensive overview of major underground energy storage technologies—including salt cavern compressed air energy storage, depleted gas reservoir storage, underground hydrogen storage, geological CO₂ sequestration, and underground thermal energy storage. For each modality, we identify key challenges such as multi‑physics coupling, caprock integrity, geochemical reactivity, and long‑term reservoir stability. We further highlight cross‑cutting frontiers including digital rock physics, artificial intelligence ‑driven characterization, and digital twin technologies. Finally, we issue a formal call for contributions that bridge fundamental mechanisms with field‑scale engineering practice, reaffirming the commitment of Advances in Geo-Energy Research to advancing geo‑energy science for a sustainable future.

Document Type: Editorial 

Cited as: Wan, J., Liu, W., Shi, Y., Meng, T., Cai, J. Underground energy storage: Key scientific challenges and frontier directions in the energy transition. Advances in Geo‑Energy Research, 2026, 20(3): 298‑300. https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2026.06.10

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2026.06.10

Keywords:

Underground energy storage, multi‑physics coupling, long‑term reservoir integrity

References

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Published

2026-06-07

How to Cite

Wan, J., Liu, W., Shi, Y., Meng, T., & Cai, J. (2026). Underground energy storage: Key scientific challenges and frontier directions in the energy transition. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 20(3), 298–300. https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2026.06.10

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 3 (2026): June

Section

EDITORIAL

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Jifang Wan, Wei Liu, Yu Shi, Tao Meng, Jianchao Cai

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.