Carbon Trust handpicks H2SEA for offshore hydrogen production study

UK consultancy Carbon Trust has commissioned green hydrogen company H2SEA to conduct the Offshore Hydrogen Production Platform Design (H2PD) project under its Integrator Programme, a joint industry initiative which aims to maximize the contribution of offshore wind to a low-cost, flexible, predictable, and low-carbon energy future.

Funded by energy players, including SSE Renewables, ScottishPower Renewables, Vattenfall, EnBW, Shell, and TotalEnergies, the program seeks to examine the interplay between offshore wind, existing infrastructure, and other technologies and developments in the energy transition.

The Integrator Programme projects are divided into three phases, with a study to investigate the design and operational strategy of a centralized offshore hydrogen production platform falling into the third phase projects. The aim is to produce a concept design for a scalable, market-tailored platform suitable for navigating consent in the UK and Germany.

Being selected to carry out the H2PD project, H2SEA will explore the feasibility and design of offshore hydrogen production platforms of 500 MW and beyond.

The comprehensive study is structured into four critical phases:

1. Market Screening Phase: An analysis of emerging technologies for offshore hydrogen production.
2. Technical Design Phase: Development of innovative and scalable designs for offshore hydrogen production platforms, focusing on efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability.
3. Regulatory Phase: Examination of the regulatory landscape to ensure compliance with UK and German laws and international maritime standards, identifying pathways to streamline project approvals.
4. Advisory Phase: Delivery of strategic recommendations to The Carbon Trust, providing actionable insights for future investments and policy frameworks supporting offshore hydrogen initiatives.

Edwin van Drunen, Managing Consultant and CEO at H2SEA, commented on the project award: “We are honoured to collaborate with the Carbon Trusts Integrator Programme on this pioneering project, with support from our partners HSM and Enersea.

“The H2PD study will lay the foundation for scalable offshore hydrogen solutions, reinforcing renewable energy innovation on the North Sea. By leveraging offshore wind resources and innovative hydrogen platform designs, H2sea aims to accelerate the deployment of green hydrogen production at scale.”