Periodic Reporting for period 3 - OYSTER (Offshore hydrogen from shoreside wind turbine integrated electrolyser)
Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31
The OYSTER project brought together organisations across four European countries with the aim of demonstrating an electrolyser designed and suitable for integration with offshore wind turbines. The project aimed to develop and test a MW-scale fully marinized electrolyser in a shoreside pilot trial, the findings of which would inform studies and design exercises for full-scale systems including innovations to reduce costs while improving efficiency.
The end goal was to produce a marinized electrolyser that could be integrated with offshore wind turbines to produce 100% renewable, low-cost bulk hydrogen while facilitating increased roll-out of offshore wind.
The end goal was to produce a marinized electrolyser that could be integrated with offshore wind turbines to produce 100% renewable, low-cost bulk hydrogen while facilitating increased roll-out of offshore wind.
Following changes in the OYSTER consortium and a re-evaluation of the project’s scope, the OYSTER consortium members agreed to take the decision to terminate the OYSTER project. This decision was taken in the context of significant shifts in the offshore sector and technical challenges associated with innovative projects of this nature.
The project nonetheless made important steps towards the goal of a marinized electrolyser, while advancing the overall sector’s expansion into the offshore space.
• Progress towards the design of a marinized electrolyser was achieved. The requirements of marinizing an electrolyser, and thus the componentry with the highest risk of failure, were identified to inform the future design of such a system.
• Developed system modelling for connection to a wind turbine. Timeseries analyses were undertaken to simulate the electrolyser’s connection to an offshore wind turbine across a range of power generation scenarios. This data
• A range of deliverables were produced, covering topics including potential arrangements of offshore wind turbines integrated with an offshore electrolyser, power electronics for the pilot plant, information pertaining to the location of deployment sites, and a techno-economic assessment for offshore hydrogen production.
• A range of factors related to the operating procedure for an offshore electrolyser were explored, covering health and safety, technical, and economic aspects.
• The project formed partnerships with stakeholders in both the offshore and hydrogen sectors, helping to bring together these two sides to realize progress on the deployment of offshore hydrogen platforms and utilize existing offshore wind infrastructure.
• The geographic focus on the North Sea region brought greater attention to this area’s unique contributions to the clean energy transition and the further development of hydrogen infrastructure.
The project nonetheless made important steps towards the goal of a marinized electrolyser, while advancing the overall sector’s expansion into the offshore space.
• Progress towards the design of a marinized electrolyser was achieved. The requirements of marinizing an electrolyser, and thus the componentry with the highest risk of failure, were identified to inform the future design of such a system.
• Developed system modelling for connection to a wind turbine. Timeseries analyses were undertaken to simulate the electrolyser’s connection to an offshore wind turbine across a range of power generation scenarios. This data
• A range of deliverables were produced, covering topics including potential arrangements of offshore wind turbines integrated with an offshore electrolyser, power electronics for the pilot plant, information pertaining to the location of deployment sites, and a techno-economic assessment for offshore hydrogen production.
• A range of factors related to the operating procedure for an offshore electrolyser were explored, covering health and safety, technical, and economic aspects.
• The project formed partnerships with stakeholders in both the offshore and hydrogen sectors, helping to bring together these two sides to realize progress on the deployment of offshore hydrogen platforms and utilize existing offshore wind infrastructure.
• The geographic focus on the North Sea region brought greater attention to this area’s unique contributions to the clean energy transition and the further development of hydrogen infrastructure.
The overall ambition and strategic objectives are detailed above in section 1.1. Significant progress on the assessment of components and designs for marinisation was achieved in the first period of the project. In the second period, work began on the design of the offshore electrolyser and deployment planning, in addition to the techno-economic assessment and business case development.
The OYSTER project also aimed to meet or exceed the 2024 performance targets set out in the FCH JU / CH2 JU MAWP. In 2023, the consortium integrated Stiesdal’s technology and progress towards several of these KPIs has been achieved. The following KPIs that were highlighted in period 1 remained priorities of the project until its' termination:
• Electrolyser consumption
• Capital cost
• O&M cost
• Degradation
• Current density
• Use of critical raw materials as catalysts
The OYSTER project also aimed to meet or exceed the 2024 performance targets set out in the FCH JU / CH2 JU MAWP. In 2023, the consortium integrated Stiesdal’s technology and progress towards several of these KPIs has been achieved. The following KPIs that were highlighted in period 1 remained priorities of the project until its' termination:
• Electrolyser consumption
• Capital cost
• O&M cost
• Degradation
• Current density
• Use of critical raw materials as catalysts