Context

Hydrogen is attracting growing interest as a complementary energy carrier for industrial and mobility applications. Hydrogen storage offers an alternative to batteries and a response to the intermittent nature of renewable energies. Hydrogen production technologies could be transferable to offshore wind energy, but they will require particular attention to the constraints inherent in the marine environment.

Objective

To produce decision-support tools for hydrogen production coupled with offshore wind energy

Main achievements

• State of the art of existing hydrogen production, storage and transport technologies
• European mapping of hydrogen projects, infrastructures and users coupled with wind resources
• Analysis of market potential in Europe
• Organisation of a series of 8 technical and regional workshops to build realistic scenarios
• Development of a tool for the assessment of hydrogen production configurations coupled with offshore wind, and preparation of associated documentation
• Use of the tool for 4 regional case studies
• Review of safety and environmental risks, including associated standards and regulations
• Roadmap for the offshore wind energy sector concerning R&D actions to be carried out in metropolitan France

Conclusion

The project has led to the development and use of the OPHARM digital tool, which can be used to assess the various configurations for hydrogen production coupled with offshore wind energy in a given area. The tool is a decision-making aid, providing data on costs and environmental aspects. At the same time, priority R&D actions have been summarised in a roadmap for the French offshore wind sector.

Resources

OPHARM fact sheet (PDF)

PARTNERS AND FINANCING

This project was led by France Energies Marines.

The total project budget was €544K.

This project received funding from France Energies Marines and its members and partners, as well as French State funding managed by the National Research Agency under the France 2030 investment plan. It also benefited from the financial support of Normandie, Occitanie, Pays de la Loire and SUD Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regions. 

Photo credit: Marlies Platvoet/Pixabay