DNV will lead the process of safety assessment to identify the most significant environmental, safety, and operational risks for the world’s first offshore hydrogen production facilities.
Lhyfe, a producer and supplier of green and renewable hydrogen for transportation and industry, and Centrale Nantes, a French engineering and research school that oversees the SEM-REV offshore test site.
The ambitious goal of Lhyfe and Centrale Nantes is to demonstrate the reliability of an offshore electrolyzer in order to make offshore renewable hydrogen a reality. It is a world first at a time when initiatives for offshore green hydrogen production are sprouting up all throughout Europe.
The green hydrogen-generating system will be located off the coast of Le Croisic, France, and will be fueled by electricity generated by a floating wind turbine, with a target start-up date of 2022. DNV’s specialists will conduct workshops and technical sessions as part of the new facility’s design to identify and analyze the project’s primary environmental, safety, and operational concerns.
“This is potentially a watershed project, one we are excited to be supporting during the FEED stage. Proving the safety of such activities, particularly with new technologies, to gain acceptance and move them closer to adoption, is vital for the industry and stakeholders. Working with Lhyfe and Centrale Nantes to further their ambitions is something we are pleased to announce, as we believe green hydrogen at-scale is the ultimate destination for the future of energy storage.”
Santiago Blanco, Executive Vice-President and Regional Director Southern Europe, MEA and LATAM, Energy Systems at DNV.
DNV will evaluate risks such as floating barges, fuel cells, and hydrogen generation. The investigation will also include a review of regulations and standards.
The offshore electrolyser will be put on GEPS Techno’s floating platform and will be linked to the different Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) sources available on the offshore test site, including the Floatgen floating wind turbine. During the operation, this one-of-a-kind manufacturing method emits just oxygen and no CO2. To ensure a successful outcome, Centrale Nantes is also making its research facilities available and giving support for the many regulatory, experimental, and logistical phases.
