Breaking Boundaries in Green Hydrogen Production
The first steps in offshore green hydrogen production have been successfully taken by French renewable energy pioneers, Lhyfe. Their experimental project christened ‘Sealhyfe’, recently yielded the initial kilos of green hydrogen from a recently established offshore hydrogen production platform. Situated a little over 12 miles offshore of Le Croisic in France’s Atlantic, the project aims to explore the potential and gain invaluable experience for future, industrial-scale green hydrogen ventures.
The Power of Wind
The strategic location of Sealhyfe relies on FLOATGEN — a floating wind turbine supplying 2 MW of power, a design and operation marvel of BW Ideol. This ambitious offshore venture started giving remarkable results on June 20 as the initiation of offshore hydrogen production signaled what Lhyfe firmly views as “a seminal turning point for the sector’s future.” This daring endeavor makes up one of the several projects targeting harnessing offshore wind farms to produce green hydrogen. Such green hydrogen holds significant potential as a decarbonizing fuel for various industrial applications, with the maritime sector also possibly benefitting.
From Concept to Reality
Lhyfe’s objective behind the pilot was to ascertain the technical feasibility of offshore hydrogen production and garner operational experience for rapid scalability. Building on an aggressive schedule of just 16 months, the company and its partners put together all the technology essentials for offshore hydrogen production, including a 1 MW electrolyzer supplied by Plug. This assembly can produce an impressive 400 kilograms of hydrogen daily.
Overcoming Testing Hurdles
From September 2022 till May 2023, Sealhyfe underwent rigorous testing at the Quai des Frégates in France’s Port of Saint-Nazaire. These tests ranged from benchmarking for comparison with the next phase to optimizing the software and algorithmic fundamentals necessary for remote site management. The continuing tests aim to reproduce the same robust results under realistic, harsh conditions.
Preparing for the Commercial Leap
Lhyfe is gearing up for the next phase, both excited and committed to working with a consortium of nine partners on a project expected to produce up to four tonnes of green hydrogen per day in the middle of the sea. Dubbed ‘Project Hope’, this project aims to deliver harvested hydrogen to commercial customers via pipelines. Aided by a €20 million grant from the European Commission, this initiative is part of the broader European Clean Hydrogen Partnership.
Paving the Path to a Greener Future
In its quest to validate industrial solutions for green hydrogen production, Lhyfe is not just attempting to revolutionize the renewable energy sector but is also contributing towards the European Commission’s REPowerEU plan to produce 10 million tonnes of clean hydrogen throughout the European Union by 2030. Through projects like Sealhyfe and Project Hope, Lhyfe is making significant strides towards a more sustainable, renewable-energy-powered future.
