TY  - JOUR
AU  - Wan, Jifang
AU  - Liu, Wei
AU  - Shi, Yu
AU  - Meng, Tao
AU  - Cai, Jianchao
PY  - 2026
TI  - Underground energy storage: Key scientific challenges and frontier directions in the energy transition
JO  - Advances in Geo-Energy Research
SN  - 2207-9963
SP  - 298
EP  - 300
VL  - 20
IS  - 3
AB  - 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.
UR  - https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2026.06.10
DO  - 10.46690/ager.2026.06.10