Wind turbine connected to electrolyzers for offshore hydrogen production

The race to decarbonize the energy systems is gaining momentum. And one promising technology at the forefront of this revolution is green hydrogen -which is produced using electrolyzers.

Green hydrogen is produced by electrolyzing water using renewable energy sources. From Denmark to Germany, Hungary, Namibia, and Portugal, countries around the world are investing in green hydrogen projects.

In a recent development, the H2Mare OffgridWind project has successfully integrated two electrolyzers with a wind turbine in Denmark.

Reportedly, the German government stated that it is the first instance of directly connecting two electrolyzers to a megawatt-scale turbine.

This system could soon be replicated on offshore wind turbines, reducing production costs. “H2 Energy Europe plans 1 GW electrolysis with an offshore wind farm in Esbjerg, Denmark, to produce green hydrogen,” the translated statement of Ontras noted.

Hydrogen transportation

For this, Ontras Gastransport and H2 Energy Europe are partnering to transport green hydrogen through the Green Octopus Mitteldeutschland (GO!) pipeline project.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed to explore the development of a long-term hydrogen transportation enterprise.

Ontras will deliver renewable hydrogen to German industrial areas such as Salzgitter, Berlin, Eisenhüttenstadt, Magdeburg, and Leipzig-Halle.

The contract will initially concentrate on the chemical and steel sectors. Hydrogen is seen as a vital component in decarbonizing these industries, which have faced challenges in lowering their CO2 emissions.

“By combining our planned 1 GW green hydrogen production project in Denmark with Ontras’ robust gas transportation network in Germany, we aim to contribute to the development of an integrated, reliable hydrogen economy spanning Europe,” said Cyril Cabanes, CEO of H2 Energy Europe.

Green hydrogen produced from electrolyzers – demand to rise

In its July-published hydrogen import strategy, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection projects a major rise in hydrogen demand by 2030, reaching 95-130 TWh per year.

Of this demand, the Federal Government predicts that 50-70% will be met through imports, the press statement revealed.

Meanwhile, other companies are also racing to kick-start hydrogen production projects.

For instance, GreenGo Energy has collaborated to develop green hydrogen projects in Namibia. As per PV magazine , they will collaborate with InnoSun Energy Holdings to create large-scale solar and wind power projects for hydrogen production.

Reportedly, GreenGo Energy will collaborate with Lodestone, an iron mining company, to incorporate green hydrogen into its steel production.

MOL Group has begun producing hydrogen at its 10 MW electrolysis unit located in Százhalombatta, Hungary. It will be supplied to the Danube Refinery.

The facility has been built with a total cost of $24.4 million (€22 million) and can produce 1,600 tons of hydrogen annually.  This facility will replace natural gas-based production, reducing carbon emissions.

In Germany, Lhyfe and H2 Mobility Deutschland are partnering to deliver renewable hydrogen to fuel stations.

On the other hand, in Portugal, DH2 Energy is developing a green hydrogen production plant with a focus on renewable energy sources.

Researchers are actively working to improve hydrogen storage capabilities. For instance, scientists at ETH Zurich have developed a new method for storing hydrogen using readily available iron.

In three stainless steel containers with walls only six millimeters thick, they successfully stored 10-megawatt hours (MWh) of hydrogen for months without any reduction in storage capacity.