Ørsted Launches Pioneering Offshore Wind–to-Hydrogen Project
Danish renewable energy giant Ørsted issued a final investment decision on the H2RES renewable hydrogen demonstration project, a pivotal power-to-mobility project that will use 2 MW of offshore wind–fed electrolyzing capacity to produce around 1,000 kilograms (kg) of green hydrogen daily.
The decision on Jan. 20 is a major boost for the H2RES project, which is backed by the Danish Energy Agency’s Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Programme (EUDP).
The project will investigate how to best combine an electrolyzer with fluctuating power supply from offshore wind, using two 3.6-MW offshore wind turbines at Avedøre Holme in Copenhagen. Ørsted said production of hydrogen could begin later this year. The gas will be used to fuel road transport—including buses, trucks, and possibly taxis—in Greater Copenhagen and on Zealand.
The decision marks a milestone for Ørsted. While H2RES will be Ørsted’s first renewable hydrogen project in operation, the company has partnered with different consortia in seven renewable hydrogen projects in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK. H2RES “marks a new era in Ørsted’s green journey, where the power of offshore wind will be harnessed to decarbonise society beyond direct electrification, offering a path towards zero emissions for otherwise hard to abate sectors,” the company said on Wednesday.
EUDP has so far awarded a total $5.6 million to several H2RES participants. On Wednesday, Green Hydrogen Systems (GHS) confirmed Ørsted had chosen its electrolysis technology for the H2RES project. GHS produces an alkaline electrolysis solution, the HyProvide A-Series, which is available in standardized and modular configurations to provide maximum flexibility and scalability. “An A-Series unit gives you [greater than] 99.998% pure and dry hydrogen at 35 bar—ideal for direct storage, further compression or immediate use as is,” the company said.
Everfuel A/S, a green hydrogen supply and fuel solutions provider, also confirmed on Wednesday that it signed a contract with Ørsted for the off take and distribution of green hydrogen for zero-emission mobility. Everfuel said it will build and operate a compression and trailer-fill facility next to the electrolyzer. “The hydrogen will be distributed to end-users via Everfuel’s network of fueling stations in Copenhagen and Zealand,” it explained.
—Sonal Patel is a POWER senior associate editor (@sonalcpatel, @POWERmagazine).