German companions bid plans for 10 MW offshore electrolyzer demo at Alpha Ventus

German offshore wind and hydrogen developers NorthH2, Deutsche Offshore-Testfeld- und Infrastruktur (DOTI), and the Offshore-Windenergie Foundation have joined forces to form an offshore electrolyzer demonstrator on the Alpha Ventus wind farm within the North Sea.

In a transfer described as “a groundbreaking step for a sustainable vitality future”, the companions signed a letter of intent (LoI) on November 26, 2024, to work together on the advance of a 10 MW offshore electrolysis demonstrator at Germany’s first offshore wind farm, Alpha Ventus.

This review and demonstration mission is portion of the NORTHSEA Hydrogen mission pipeline developed by NorthH2. It aims to prove the feasibility and efficiency of hydrogen production without lengthen at sea and test required ingredients by the exercise of a foundation from a prototype wind turbine.

Energy from Alpha Ventus will likely be frail to present the proton change membrane electrolyzer (PEM). First, the seawater will likely be desalinated the exercise of the damage heat generated all over electrolysis and then fracture up into hydrogen and oxygen within the electrolyzer.

The hydrogen will likely be saved and all over low-wind durations reconversion will likely be examined. The companions said alternate choices for the exercise of the hydrogen produced without lengthen at sea are within the point out time being investigated.

As explained, the quantities generated are too dinky for offshore loading and ship transport to land to account for the excessive charges of the corresponding logistics. Nonetheless, as rapidly as the AquaDuctus pipeline, which is portion of the hydrogen core community, connects the North Sea with the pipeline community on land, the demonstrator will be connected, and the hydrogen will likely be fed in.

In step with the companions, this mission is supposed to present most critical insights that will allow offshore electrolyzers to be operated commercially at sea in some unspecified time in the future.

An most critical portion of the mission is to present a platform for industrial companions and review, accompanying ecological review, and to test and optimize systems and ingredients beneath precise prerequisites.

The mission pattern and implementation are additionally expected to present the authorities intelligent the different to gain the mandatory regulatory framework for specifications and approval of offshore electrolysis initiatives.

Andreas Wellbrock, Managing Director of NorthH2, said: “The 10MW offshore electrolysis demonstrator is a most critical step in opposition to enabling the production of inexperienced hydrogen without lengthen at sea. This is able to perchance again us to enormously amplify the efficiency and sustainability of hydrogen production whereas avoiding the challenges of grid connection issues.”

Karina Würtz, Managing Director of the Offshore-Windenergie Foundation, added: “The market ramp-up within the hydrogen sector is within the point out time confronted with many varied technical and economic challenges that deserve to be overcome. This is even extra upright for hydrogen production offshore, i.e. at sea. Right here, one will must first test with a fab head how the cruel prerequisites of the North Sea have an affect on the skills ingredients and upkeep requirements – we due to the this truth welcome this initiative and are chuffed so as to present a test different on the Alpha Ventus test enviornment quandary.”