Shell, Germany’s RWE, Norwegian energy firm Equinor and Dutch gas transport company Gasunie have agreed to study the feasibility of a project to develop 300MW of green hydrogen production capacity powered by offshore wind in the North Sea by 2028.

The AquaSector project would have an output of up to 20,000t/yr of green hydrogen, which would be transport by pipeline to the Heligoland archipelago in northern Germany, avoiding  the need to install high-voltage direct current transmission systems to transmit the equivalent energy from the wind turbines to land.

20,000t/yr – Targeted green hydrogen output

“Compared to the transport of electricity generated offshore, the hydrogen production at sea and the transport via pipeline could offer clear economic advantages,” the company says. “It is by far the most cost-effective option for transporting large volumes of energy over long distances.”

AquaSector is designed to provide proof of concept for a major offshore green hydrogen park with a capacity of up to 10GW by 2035, with an extended pipeline to mainland Germany, RWE says.

A study by the Scottish government found that falling wind and electrolyser costs will enable green hydrogen production to be cost-competitive with other fuels in the transport and heat sectors by 2032.

The analysis found the hydrogen could be delivered to shore for £2.3/kg ($3.2/kg) as soon as 2032.

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Author: Stuart Penson