Neptune Energy, RWE inks pact for H2opZee, offshore green H2 in the Dutch North Sea
Neptune Energy and RWE have announced that they have signed an agreement to develop the offshore green hydrogen project "H2opZee" in the Dutch North Sea.
The purpose of this demonstration project is to construct 300-500 MW of electrolyser capacity at sea to produce green hydrogen, using offshore wind. The hydrogen would then be transported to the shore via an existing offshore pipeline with a capacity of 10-12 GW, therefore, suitable for the further roll-out of green hydrogen production to gigawatt scale in the North Sea.
Work on Phase 1 of the project – an initiative of TKI Wind op Zee, supported by the Dutch government – will comprise a feasibility study and formation of an accessible knowledge platform, to start the roll-out of hydrogen at sea off the Netherlands.
Under Phase 2 the project will be implemented, although in this case, a tender methodology has yet to be defined.
Lex de Groot, Neptune Energy's managing director in the Netherlands, said: "We see an important role for green hydrogen in future energy supply, and it can be produced here in the North Sea"
"This infrastructure is technically suitable, no new pipeline at sea is needed and no new landfall is required through the coastal area."
Neptune plans to apply lessons learned from the PosHYdon pilot offshore hydrogen project on its Q13-a platform (where the hydrogen is produced from seawater).
"The faster we can scale up green hydrogen at sea, the faster industries such as chemicals and steel production can become more sustainable," de Groot said.
Sven Utermöhlen, CEO of Offshore Wind at RWE Renewable, described H2opZee as "a world first of this kind and scale. With Neptune Energy at our side, we want to develop the H2opZee project to demonstrate how offshore wind can be an ideal partner to produce green hydrogen at scale and to explore the best way in terms of system integration."
H2opZee is one of the 37 proposals for the second round of the Netherlands' National Growth Fund.
