For some, hydrogen is “energy” of tomorrow. But the idea is only valid if the hydrogen in question is produced from low-carbon electricity. It is in this state of mind that one of the French market players, Lhyfe, has just launched a demonstrator intended to produce renewable hydrogen at sea. A world first!
When we talk regarding reducing our emissions of greenhouse gas, the potential of hydrogen is great. Provided, however, that hydrogen (H2) in question is produced using low-carbon electricity. This is still very little the case today. But the ambition displayed by Europe is to succeed in producing, by 2030, 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen per year.
A few days ago, a further step was taken in this direction by one of the French market players. Lhyfe has already produced, since September 2021, 300 kilograms per day of green hydrogen fromwind power near Bouin, in Vendée. The company has just inaugurated, near Saint-Nazaire, in Loire-Atlantique, this time, Sealhyfe, the very first offshore renewable hydrogen production demonstrator. The very first in the world!
Challenges specific to offshore production
You might be wondering what’s so exceptional regarding that? Well, it’s that the challenges for produce hydrogen at sea are numerous. First, there are the steps that may be common to other hydrogen production projects: connection to a renewable source — here, a wind turbine —, pumping seawater and desalinating it, then, finally , its electrolysis to extract hydrogen. But also, and especially this time, the difficulties related to automatic operation on a floating platform connected to a wind turbine, also floating.
Thus, Lhyfe first intends to test its system at dock for six months. Before installing it for twelve months regarding one kilometer from a floating wind turbine off Le Croisic (Loire-Atlantique). All this to test the impact of the movement of the platform on the equipment and to test how Sealhyfe can cope with environmental aggressions — corrosion, shocks, temperature variations might accelerate the aging of parts — and operate in an isolated environment. , excluding maintenance periods.
The stated objective of Lhyfe is thus to produce 400 kilograms of hydrogen per day at a price which will have to compete with that of gray hydrogen — produced from hydrocarbons — and fossil fuels.
