In an innovative partnership, Nel and partners intend to use offshore wind energy to generate sustainable hydrogen in an offshore environment.
This effort, established 13 km off the Netherlands coast, is a key step in speeding up the North Sea’s energy transition by utilizing existing oil and gas infrastructure.
Nel CCO Todd Cartwright talks about the PosHYdon project
Video Credit: Nel Hydrogen
A Landmark Project
PosHYdon is an alliance of 15 public and private partners dedicated to establishing the viability of offshore hydrogen production.
This project will employ an operational oil and gas platform to investigate hydrogen production from offshore wind energy. Desalination equipment will convert seawater into demineralized water for the electrolyzer.
“PosHYdon is a collaboration of 15 partners from public and private organizations who all believe in the value of renewable hydrogen from offshore wind in an offshore environment and want to collaborate to demonstrate that this technology can be realized to accelerate the energy transition in the North Sea,” Todd Cartwright, Nel's CCO, explained.
The Nel 1.25 MW-capacity electrolyzer is estimated to create roughly 400 kg of hydrogen daily, enough to power roughly 10 metropolitan buses.
Although small compared to future market requirements, this 12-month sea experiment will offer essential insights into the technological gaps that must be addressed for commercial-scale offshore electrolyzers and associated energy infrastructure.
Image Credit: Nel Hydrogen
Image Credit: Nel Hydrogen
Image Credit: Nel Hydrogen
Image Credit: Nel Hydrogen
Image Credit: Nel Hydrogen
Image Credit: Nel Hydrogen
Image Credit: Nel Hydrogen
Recycling Existing Infrastructure
One of the project’s key initiatives is to maximize the use of the existing platform and pipeline infrastructure. This decreases the need for new offshore development and makes better use of current oil and gas installations, resulting in a more sustainable future.
The hydrogen created will be delivered to shore via an existing pipeline, helping to decarbonize the Dutch industry.
Onshore Testing and Future Plans
The PosHYdon pilot began successfully in early May with an onshore test at the InVesta facility in Alkmaar.
This pilot intends to manufacture green hydrogen on an active gas platform in the Dutch North Sea, integrating three offshore energy systems for the first time, and transporting hydrogen to land alongside gas via an existing pipeline.
“PosHYdon is a perfect example of system integration in the North Sea. In many studies, hydrogen is considered the missing link in the energy transition, with many talking about all the opportunities. But here, right off the coast of Scheveningen, it will actually take place later this year. PosHYdon is teaching us a lot about the next steps that need to be taken towards safe, large-scale green hydrogen production from wind at sea,” explains René Peters.
René Peters is the Business Director of Gas Technologies at TNO and the driving force behind the North Sea Energy Program.
Following the onshore testing period, the electrolyzer will be relocated offshore to the Q13a-A platform. Initial offshore hydrogen production is scheduled for Q4 of this year.
Looking Ahead
PosHYdon is more than just a pilot project; it is an important step toward commercializing offshore hydrogen generation. By scaling up from this small 1.25 MW pilot to future commercial sizes of 500 MW or more, the lessons learned from PosHYdon will be critical in accomplishing these aspiring objectives.
Nel has been active in the PosHYdon project for several years, primarily focused on the platform's hydrogen generation unit.
“This is a landmark project, and Nel Hydrogen’s grateful to be associated with it,” says Todd Cartwright.
Offshore hydrogen production is expected to rise significantly over the next 10 to 20 years, with projects like PosHYdon guiding the way.
“Offshore hydrogen production has an enormous amount of potential. If you look at the projections, it’s supposed to grow substantially over the next 10-20 years, and we think this is just a stepping stone to a much bigger market,” Cartwright says.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Nel Hydrogen.
For more information on this source, please visit Nel Hydrogen.