PosHYdon green hydrogen pilot initiates onshore testing

The PosHYdon project, the world’s first pilot that aims to produce green hydrogen on an operational gas platform in the North Sea, is progressing as planned with the commencement of the onshore test at the premises of InVesta in Alkmaar.

The project announced the kick-off of the onshore test on May 8. Following the testing period onshore, the electrolyzer will be transferred offshore to Neptune Energy’s Q13a-A platform, 13 kilometers off the coast of Scheveningen (The Hague).

The first offshore hydrogen production is planned for the fourth quarter of 2024.

The project, which will integrate three offshore energy systems – offshore wind, offshore gas, and offshore hydrogen – for the first time on Neptune Energy’s Q13a-A platform. This production platform is the first fully green electrified platform in the Dutch North Sea.

The green hydrogen will be blended with the gas and transported to the coast via the existing gas pipeline. To this end, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy has increased the blending specifications from 0.02% to 0.5% hydrogen. The 1 MW electrolyzer will follow the wind profile of the Luchterduinen wind farm.

In addition, PosHYdon will also participate in a pilot for Guarantees of Origin for green hydrogen and the upcoming migration towards European hydrogen certification.

René Peters, Business Director Gas Technologies TNO and initiator of the North Sea Energy Program said: “PosHYdon is a perfect example of system integration in the North Sea. In many studies, hydrogen is considered the missing link in the energy transition, with many talking about all the opportunities. But here, right off the coast of Scheveningen, it will actually take place later this year.

“PosHYdon is teaching us a lot about the next steps that need to be taken towards safe, large-scale green hydrogen production from wind at sea. Offshore green hydrogen production will enable large-scale wind farms to be developed far out at sea. Wind energy is directly converted to green hydrogen from demineralized seawater and can be transported through the existing or new gas infrastructure.

“As a result, offshore wind projects can be realized faster at significantly lower costs for society. I am therefore very happy that we can now test the complete installation onshore, in preparation for transferring it offshore for the final test: offshore green hydrogen production.”

The consortium behind the project comprises 15 public and private organizations: Nel Hydrogen, InVesta, Hatenboer, Iv-Offshore & Energy, Emerson, Nexstep, TNO, Neptune Energy Netherlands (Eni), Gasunie, Noordgastransport, NOGAT, DEME, TAQA, Eneco and EBN.