Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HOPE (Hydrogen Offshore Production for Europe)
Reporting period: 2023-06-01 to 2024-05-31
Hydrogen Offshore Production for Europe (HOPE) intends to pave the way for the deployment of large-scale offshore hydrogen production. To this aim, HOPE will design, build and operate the first offshore hydrogen production demonstrator of 10MW by 2026 in an offshore test zone near the port of Ostend in Belgium. The two-years demonstration of a mid-scale concept on a retrofitted jack-up barge will prove the technical and commercial sustainability of renewable offshore hydrogen production, export by pipelines and supply to end-clients onshore. It will also provide an extensive experience to assess the feasibility of 300MW and 500MW offshore concepts. The experience gathered by the consortium members and the maturity levels reached at the end of the project will enable the deployment of commercial large-scale solutions as soon as 2028.
HOPE gathers a unique consortium of European players with cutting-edge expertise across the whole hydrogen value chain: an offshore wind power developer, a renewable hydrogen producer, an electrolyser manufacturer, a desalination solutions manufacturer, an offshore hydrogen pipes manufacturer, a research centre, a regional development agency, a strategic consultancy and a renewables communication agency.
HOPE will produce a large range of exploitable results including not only detailed designs of replicable offshore hydrogen technologies, operational data and resulting analyses from a first-of-a-kind project but also pre-feasibility studies and techno-economic assessments of two large-scale concepts. Through an ambitious dissemination and exploitation plan, the consortium intends to accelerate the deployment of large-scale offshore hydrogen solutions to contribute to reach the 10 Mt of clean hydrogen produced in Europe by 2030 to decarbonize the European economy and reach our climate goals.
The overall objectives of the HOPE project are to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of offshore hydrogen production in an offshore environment and to pave the way for large scale production.
To achieve them the following sub-objectives have been defined:
• Design, construct and operate a 10MW offshore hydrogen production system.
• Prove the technical feasibility of an offshore hydrogen electrolysis production unit through a comprehensive field test.
• Develop innovative offshore utility and safety systems.
• Integrate the offshore hydrogen production from the electrolyser to a supply chain.
• Analyse the techno-economics of offshore hydrogen production as a renewable energy carrier.
• Prepare the large-scale deployment of offshore hydrogen production.
• Disseminate and communicate the results of the project to a wide range of stakeholders in the hydrogen and offshore wind sectors.
HOPE gathers a unique consortium of European players with cutting-edge expertise across the whole hydrogen value chain: an offshore wind power developer, a renewable hydrogen producer, an electrolyser manufacturer, a desalination solutions manufacturer, an offshore hydrogen pipes manufacturer, a research centre, a regional development agency, a strategic consultancy and a renewables communication agency.
HOPE will produce a large range of exploitable results including not only detailed designs of replicable offshore hydrogen technologies, operational data and resulting analyses from a first-of-a-kind project but also pre-feasibility studies and techno-economic assessments of two large-scale concepts. Through an ambitious dissemination and exploitation plan, the consortium intends to accelerate the deployment of large-scale offshore hydrogen solutions to contribute to reach the 10 Mt of clean hydrogen produced in Europe by 2030 to decarbonize the European economy and reach our climate goals.
The overall objectives of the HOPE project are to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of offshore hydrogen production in an offshore environment and to pave the way for large scale production.
To achieve them the following sub-objectives have been defined:
• Design, construct and operate a 10MW offshore hydrogen production system.
• Prove the technical feasibility of an offshore hydrogen electrolysis production unit through a comprehensive field test.
• Develop innovative offshore utility and safety systems.
• Integrate the offshore hydrogen production from the electrolyser to a supply chain.
• Analyse the techno-economics of offshore hydrogen production as a renewable energy carrier.
• Prepare the large-scale deployment of offshore hydrogen production.
• Disseminate and communicate the results of the project to a wide range of stakeholders in the hydrogen and offshore wind sectors.
Key progress during the 1st period of the project includes:
• This first project period has seen key progress made particularly in the Work Package 2, focused on the development and design of the demonstrator. Most notably Lhyfe, with the support of WP participants, has produced and submitted a D2.4 the Basis of Design report which outlines the basic requirements and boundary conditions for the demonstrator project. It is used as a baseline for the design of the plant and all equipment associated.
• On this basis the onshore and offshore layouts of the two sites have been defined and the technical characteristics of the equipment and its installation are being finalised with Plug Power, Alfa Laval and Strohm. This has enabled partners to prepare for the specification and procurement of equipment and materials which will start in the next project period.
• In parallel, Lhyfe and POM have worked to plan, and then operate the permitting process for the whole project. A range of permits are required to cover the onshore site construction, the hydrogen transportation, the cables, and the environmental impact assessment. The first 12 months of the project have been dedicated to the preparation of the permits applications which have will be submitted this summer 2024.
• Lhyfe, along with EDP, has also progressed on the definition of the business model for the demonstrator, the renewable electricity sourcing and the securing of hydrogen offtakes contracts. A preliminary business plan has been produced on this basis.
• The first project period also saw the definition of the cross-cutting activities frameworks. The collaboration between partners and as a Consortium has been established well through different communication channels: in-person and online General Assembly meetings, monthly reports, bilateral meetings and discussions. DWR has led the definition of the project’s communication strategy and created its visual identity and website.
• This first project period has seen key progress made particularly in the Work Package 2, focused on the development and design of the demonstrator. Most notably Lhyfe, with the support of WP participants, has produced and submitted a D2.4 the Basis of Design report which outlines the basic requirements and boundary conditions for the demonstrator project. It is used as a baseline for the design of the plant and all equipment associated.
• On this basis the onshore and offshore layouts of the two sites have been defined and the technical characteristics of the equipment and its installation are being finalised with Plug Power, Alfa Laval and Strohm. This has enabled partners to prepare for the specification and procurement of equipment and materials which will start in the next project period.
• In parallel, Lhyfe and POM have worked to plan, and then operate the permitting process for the whole project. A range of permits are required to cover the onshore site construction, the hydrogen transportation, the cables, and the environmental impact assessment. The first 12 months of the project have been dedicated to the preparation of the permits applications which have will be submitted this summer 2024.
• Lhyfe, along with EDP, has also progressed on the definition of the business model for the demonstrator, the renewable electricity sourcing and the securing of hydrogen offtakes contracts. A preliminary business plan has been produced on this basis.
• The first project period also saw the definition of the cross-cutting activities frameworks. The collaboration between partners and as a Consortium has been established well through different communication channels: in-person and online General Assembly meetings, monthly reports, bilateral meetings and discussions. DWR has led the definition of the project’s communication strategy and created its visual identity and website.
Not applicable as the project is still in an early phase, and does not have results yet.