Offshore PEM electrolysis is technically and economically feasible
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have developed a technical concept and design for a hydrogen production facility optimized for use at sea. Results have shown that it is technically and economically feasible to produce
The basis of the concept is an offshore wind park that is directly connected to a 500 MW electrolysis platform. This can produce up to 50,000 tons of green hydrogen per year. The system has a scalable, modular construction that can easily be adapted to different hydrogen production capacities. Fresh water for the PEM electrolyzer is obtained from the desalinization of sea water using the waste heat generated by the electrolysis process. The hydrogen produced is cleaned and dried, compressed up to 500 bar, and loaded onto a transport ship. Up to 400 tons of hydrogen per shipload can be delivered from the offshore platform to land. This concept is independent of hydrogen transport lines and offers flexibility in the choice of location.
