RINA, 5M Renewables to develop floating green hydrogen production vessel

Italian classification society RINA has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with marine systems provider 5M Renewables for the collaboration on the concept development for the floating green hydrogen production vessel.

The collaboration on the concept named Thessalonica Hydroship is expected to contribute to the decarbonisation efforts of the marine and energy segment.

It includes a carbon credit offset program that will be beneficial for owners, charterers and other stakeholders.

The scope of the agreement signed on 9 February 2022 covers two segments – the vessel design and the topside production which will include the green hydrogen production and distribution systems.

According to RINA, Thessalonica HydroShip converts the energy from wind or tidal stream turbines into green hydrogen. It does not require the use of an FPSO, thus greatly reducing the overall levelized cost of energy (LCOE) to yield cost-competitive hydrogen.

The ready-made wind/tidal stream turbines, off-the-shelf electrolyzers, and other plant equipment will have their configuration optimised to deliver cost-competitive green hydrogen at near to shore distances, the developers claim.

This eliminates intercontinental delivery point transport and logistics, further cutting the long-term operating cost of hydrogen to end-user markets.

Meanwhile, in the UK, marine energy company Marine Power Systems (MPS) joined forces with Marine2o to develop integrated solutions to support the production of green hydrogen from offshore renewable energy sources, using marine vessels to transport this energy vector to market.

In the Netherlands, there are several offshore wind-to-hydrogen projects, including the country’s first offshore green hydrogen project, PosHYdon, on which the work started last year.

Furthermore, Neptune Energy and German offshore wind developer RWE recently announced an offshore wind-to-hydrogen demonstration project in the Dutch sector of the North Sea.

Named H₂opZee, the project aims to build 300-500 MW electrolyser capacity in the North Sea to produce green hydrogen using offshore wind and to transport it to land through an existing pipeline, which has a capacity of 10-12 GW.

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