A Dutch project in the North Sea is to see green hydrogen produced on an offshore oil and gas platform using electricity from offshore wind
The PosHYdon green hydrogen project will see a hydrogen production plant installed on the Neptune-operated Q13a platform. The Q13a platform is the first fully electrified platform in the Dutch sector of the North Sea.
Electricity generated by offshore wind turbines from an as yet unidentified offshore windfarm will be used to power the electrolysers in the hydrogen plant on the platform, converting seawater into demineralised water, then into hydrogen via electrolysis.
The aim of the pilot project is to gain experience in producing green hydrogen in an offshore environment.
The plan was announced as Neptune Energy confirmed that energy infrastructure company Gasunie will join the PosHYdon project.
Gasunie, which manages and maintains infrastructure for large-scale transport and storage of gases in the Netherlands and northern Germany, is the latest company to join the PosHYdon consortium following NOGAT and Noordgastransport, both owners of gas transport pipelines in the North Sea.
Neptune Energy Netherlands managing director Lex de Groot said, “We are very pleased to welcome Gasunie as a partner in the project. Gasunie is already working to accelerate the energy transition, including several hydrogen pilots on land, and has the necessary knowledge and experience with electrolysis inhouse. NOGAT and Noordgastransport’s pipelines and infrastructure at sea are already suitable for hydrogen.
“Offshore production of green hydrogen will be crucial to meet Dutch energy demand. The Netherlands is in a special position because, in addition to an extensive gas infrastructure network, it has large amounts of wind energy in the North Sea.
“That wind energy can be used to generate hydrogen, then transport it ashore, along with natural gas, via the NOGAT and Noordgastransport pipelines.”
Nederlandse Gasunie chief executive Han Fennema said, “The Netherlands is in a strong position to lead the transition to a hydrogen economy. We have the North Sea for wind energy and gas, ports as logistics hubs, industrial clusters that want to switch to green molecules and excellent infrastructure for transport and storage.”
The PosHYdon pilot project is an initiative from Nexstep, the Dutch association for decommissioning and reuse, and TNO, the Netherlands organisation for applied scientific research, in close collaboration with the industry.
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