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Hähnlein

Hessian aquifer store near Darmstadt operated by MND since 2016; reduced 45% target.

Hähnlein, a small aquifer storage site in Germany run by MND Gas Storage Germany, holds about 80 million cubic metres of working gas and has carried a reduced 45% fill target since the ordinance took force on 5 May 2025.

Last refreshed: 31 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

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#31 28 Jul

Mentioned in: Germany set to miss its own gas target

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Background

Hähnlein is an aquifer-type facility with a total capacity of around 160 million cubic metres, roughly half of it, some 80 million cubic metres, available as working gas. MND Gas Storage Germany, part of the Czech energy group MND, operates the site, one of the smaller entries among Germany's pore-storage facilities.

Its regulatory position mirrors five other named sites: rather than the 80% fill requirement set for most German cavern storage by 1 November, Hähnlein answers to a 45% target under the Gasspeicherfüllstandsverordnung.

Common Questions

What kind of gas storage is Hähnlein?

Hähnlein is an aquifer-type pore gas storage facility operated by MND Gas Storage Germany, with a working gas capacity of around 80 million cubic metres.Source: MND Gas Storage Germany

Why does Hähnlein have a lower gas storage target than other German sites?

It is one of six pore-storage sites named in Germany's Gasspeicherfüllstandsverordnung with a reduced 45% fill requirement for 1 November, instead of the 80% target most cavern sites must meet.Source: Bundeswirtschaftsministerium

Who operates Hähnlein gas storage?

MND Energy Storage Germany, formerly MND Gas Storage Germany and part of the Czech KKCG group, has run the Hähnlein aquifer site from its Alsbach-Hähnlein base since 2016.Source: MND Energy Storage Germany

What type of rock stores gas at Hähnlein?

Hähnlein stores natural gas in deep aquifer sandstone layers beneath Alsbach-Hähnlein, near Darmstadt, rather than in a mined salt cavern or depleted field.Source: MND Energy Storage Germany

How the World Sees Them

MND

MND has operated this Hessian aquifer store near Darmstadt since 2016 without major incident. The reduced 45% target gives MND more flexibility over injection pacing than the standard quota allows.

Capacity bookers

Bookers weigh MND's decade of operating history against the site's aquifer limits. The reduced target frees some of that booked capacity for short-notice withdrawal instead of forced injection.

Local grid planners

Planners around Darmstadt count Hähnlein among the aquifer stores serving the wider region. A lighter fill obligation here reduces the exposure if a supply squeeze hits mid-winter.