Brief Review Of Options And Risks In Offshore Green Hydrogen Production: German Case Study

Abstract

This paper presented a brief review of offshore hydrogen production options in Germany and related risks. We describe the main electrolyzer technologies and design options for hydrogen production. The main technology alternatives are alkaline, PEM, and solid oxide electrolysis. Design options for the production are onshore electrolysis, electrolyzers in individual wind turbines, a dedicated offshore platform for electrolyzers, or an energy island. We chose a scenario with dedicated platform and PEM electrolyzers. The main factors were the lower losses related to transporting hydrogen instead of electricity, financial risks associated with artificial islands, and the suitability of pairing PEM electrolyzers with renewable energy sources. A main aspect of this work is the coverage of estimation of hydrogen production as well as the identification of hazards related to the baseline scenario. Many of the risks that are present in oil and gas platforms or offshore substations for offshore wind farms would be similar in hydrogen production platforms. Particular concerns for these platforms, though, include the scarcity of rare earth elements required for PEM fuel cells, the inexperience in operating these fuel cells in offshore environments, and the evaluation of situations where escaping gas could accumulate in production or storage facilities, posing a risk of explosion.