Wind-Connected Floating Hydrogen and Ammonia

The project, named OFFSET, involves building an industrial-scale floating green hydrogen and ammonia facility based on the proven concept of floating production and offloading vessel (FPSO).

The project, named OFFSET, aims to address the challenges of large-scale green hydrogen production, including intermittent energy supply, transmission of electricity, and high-quality water supply for the electrolysis process. The consortium plans to build the facility by 2027 and connect it to an offshore wind farm, producing hydrogen that can be transported to shore through existing pipelines or newly installed Thermoplastic Composite Pipe (TCP), while the produced ammonia can be transported to end-users by shuttle tankers.

The project will utilize the proven concept of the floating production and offloading vessel (FPSO) and develop a floating green hydrogen and ammonia facility. The consortium aims to use seawater as feed for the electrolysis process, which would support the production of electricity at the right moment and location, and produce offshore green hydrogen or ammonia. The consortium believes that this approach can help to overcome the challenges of large-scale green hydrogen production.

SwitcH2 and BW Offshore have already announced that the floating production unit secured Approval in Principle (AiP) from DNV, which affirmed the technical feasibility of the design and enabled the project to start the basic design phase. SwitcH2 will be the developer and will coordinate the overall program, while BW Offshore is responsible for the topside arrangement, hull, and mooring system design. TU Delft will lead the research into the direct use of seawater in the electrolysis process and develop a seawater electrolysis process via the implementation of improved electrocatalysts. 

Planned to be linked with an adjacent wind farm by 2027, the facility will produce hydrogen that can be transported to shore through existing oil pipelines.

 

Floating Wind and Ammonia