(Freiburg) – Hydrogen production at sea is feasible on a large scale with a PEM electrolyzer. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have developed a technical concept as part of the “OffsH2ore” project and have now presented the results. These could “serve as a blueprint and starting point for the development of pilot and large-scale projects and the development of corresponding regulations,” according to the institute.
500 MW electrolysis in offshore wind farm
The basis is an offshore wind farm that is directly connected to a 500 megawatt electrolysis platform. This can produce up to 50.000 tons of green hydrogen per year. The system with a modular structure can be easily adapted to different hydrogen production capacities. “With the concept presented by the consortium, rapid and large-scale implementation has become realistic,” the researchers are convinced.
The fresh water for the PEM electrolyzer is provided by desalination of seawater. The hydrogen produced is cleaned and dried, compressed and transferred to a ship. According to the plan, it will deliver up to 400 tons of hydrogen from the offshore platform to land per transport - independent of pipelines.
Technology is scalable
“PEM electrolysis is the preferred technology for the offshore environment,” say the scientists. “With this electrolyzer we can respond appropriately to the limited space on the platform and take advantage of the dynamic operating behavior,” explains Anna Wunsch, who calculated the technical design of the system. With PEM electrolyzers, operators could react quickly to fluctuations in the energy supplied and easily operate the electrolyser even at partial load.
“For countries like Germany, where the large-scale production of green hydrogen is already a challenge due to land use competition, for example, hydrogen production at sea with the help of offshore wind energy is an additional option,” says Marius Holst, coordinator of the work packages at Fraunhofer ISE. It offers a high number of full-load hours and at the same time the opportunity to cover the entire value chain at a national level. Offshore wind expansion and grid expansion would also be decoupled, said Holst.
The consortium
The work was carried out as part of the two-year “OffsH2ore” project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK). In addition to Fraunhofer ISE, PNE AG, an international project developer and operator of renewable energy system projects, was involved as project coordinator. Also there: the engineering and plant engineering company Silica Processtechnik GmbH, Kongstein GmbH, which advises on offshore wind and hydrogen technologies, among other things, and Wystrach GmbH, a provider of high-pressure storage for hydrogen.
Photos
The project consortium developed the plant concept and design for 500 megawatt offshore hydrogen production and transport of the energy source by ship. © PNE AG
