Hydrogen – Ships can dock near the platform

A significant opportunity associated with our ocean turbine platform is the possibility to produce and store hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas will be stored in large tanks on board and beside the platform. The hydrogen gas can be pumped directly to ships and significantly contribute to reducing emissions from offshore traffic. The hydrogen gas may also be transported ashore with hydrogen tankers in areas lacking infrastructure for electrical grids.

There are different concepts to produce hydrogen gas with use of electricity. PEM electrolysis is a recent concept that’s suitable for renewable energy. PEM electrolysis has an electrical efficiency of about 80% in working application, in terms of hydrogen produced per unit of electricity used to drive the reaction. The efficiency of PEM electrolysis is expected to reach 82-86% before 2030, while also maintaining durability as progress in this area continues at a pace.

The PEM electrolysis method uses a proton exchange membrane (PEM),. It reverses the fuel cell principle and requires no liquid electrolyte. Water is pressed through a stack of two electrodes and a polymer membrane. It only allows positively charged hydrogen protons to pass through. Platinum is usually used as a catalyst in the cell. The thin cells consisting of a membrane and a pair of electrodes can be arranged in stacks to achieve better performance.

This production method gives clean green hydrogen gas ready for fuel cells.