System Integration North Sea introduction of Hydrogen As Energy Carrier in Offshore Energy Production and Exploration

At the moment, in the North Sea, new tender rules are implemented. The focus is instead of building a wind farm with one energy carrier, to have at least two energy carriers’ electrons and molecules.

What is considered, is the main high voltage grid in the Netherlands is congested. The landing to shore of the wind power is under development, to speed up the energy transition, molecules could be an intermediate solution.

Integrated North Sea energy systems

To have an integrated system on the North Sea, export by High Voltage cables and at least one other energy carrier is needed. There can be central production of hydrogen by an offshore structure with an electrolyser including rectifiers and water treatment systems near an offshore substation or by decentral hydrogen production on the base of the wind turbine with interfiled pipeline connection to an export pipeline that centralise landing to shore.

Another added value is that (seasonal) storage can be done offshore in depleted gas-fields or new built salt cavern storage subsea.

The RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency) has pointed out based on decision made in 2022 of the policy makers of the Dutch ministry Climate and Energy transmission, storage and distribution of various energy carriers, such as electricity and gas (including hydrogen gas) need to be adopted in any future offshore energy projects.

System approach

The following key aspects of an integrated system approach are high added value:

• Balance of grid – efficient export of energy to shore
• Offshore storage solutions
• Not only limited to offshore wind, also solar, tidal, waves and so on can be considered a in new projects.
• Optimised sea and seabed use for the North Sea.
• Solution to speed up transmission of energy to shore and interconnectors to other countries.
• Lower environmental impact for offshore energy projects.