First hydrogen pilot: PosHYdon

As the production of renewable energy at sea increases, so too does the need for solutions to flexibly store it and integrate it into the energy system. PosHYdon, an initiative of Nextstep, is investigating how offshore wind energy, green hydrogen production, and existing gas infrastructure can be combined on a single existing, operational platform in the North Sea. Within PosHYdon, Iv has delivered the engineering for the system integration of the hydrogen installation on the Q13a-A platform. The pilot has now produced green hydrogen at sea for the first time. 

To produce green hydrogen, seawater is demineralised and subsequently converted into hydrogen via electrolysis on the Q13a-A platform. The main challenge lies in integrating the hydrogen installation into an existing offshore environment, where safety, existing infrastructure, and operational processes must be closely aligned.  

PosHYdon provides practical experience in offshore hydrogen production and integration of various energy systems at sea. The project provides a better understanding of how sustainable energy from offshore wind can be converted, stored, and made available when needed. As such, the pilot helps answer how offshore wind energy, hydrogen production, and existing infrastructure can be integrated more intelligently into the energy system in the North Sea. 

Client: Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)

Platform Operator: Neptune Energy

Type: PEM Electrolyser

Number of Cells: 1

Input Power: 1 MW

Water Consumption: 300 l/h

Hydrogen Flow: 246 Nm³/h

Hydrogen Purity: 99.998%

Discharge Pressure: 30 barg

Footprint: 2 x 40ft stacked containers

Lift Weight: <20 tonnes (2 x 20ft cont)

Cable: 9 MVA, 25kV

Production: 400 kg/day