Pioneering Offshore Hydrogen Project in the German North Sea
Key Ideas
- German firms collaborate to build a 10 MW offshore electrolysis demonstrator at Alpha Ventus wind farm in the German North Sea.
- The project aims to test the feasibility of producing hydrogen directly at sea using a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer.
- Hydrogen produced will be stored for reconversion, and once connected to the land-based network, it will be fed into the grid.
- The initiative provides insights into offshore electrolyzer operations and serves as a testing ground for industrial partners and researchers.
The NorthH2 Project Company GmbH, Deutsche Offshore-Testfield- und Infrastruktur-GmbH & Co. KG, and the Offshore-Windenergie Foundation in Germany have joined forces to construct a pioneering 10 MW offshore electrolysis demonstrator at Alpha Ventus wind farm in the North Sea. This project, part of the NORTHSEA Hydrogen initiative by NorthH2, will utilize power from Alpha Ventus to split desalinated seawater into hydrogen and oxygen using a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. The hydrogen produced will be stored during low-wind periods and will later be fed into the grid once connected through the AquaDuctus pipeline. This endeavor is crucial for exploring the commercial viability of offshore electrolyzers and offers a practical platform for testing and optimizing systems in real-world conditions. Andreas Wellbrock and Karina Würtz, Managing Directors of NorthH2 and the Offshore-Windenergie Foundation respectively, highlighted the project's significance in advancing green hydrogen production offshore and addressing technical and economic challenges in harsh marine environments.