Aquaterra Energy has signed a partnership with renewable hydrogen producer and supplier Lhyfe and offshore drilling contractor Borr Drilling to develop an innovative concept for offshore green hydrogen production in the North Sea.

It will involve an electrolyser system being deployed on a converted jack-up rig to allow emissions free fuel to be produced at sea, Aquaterra Energy said Sept. 21.

Reliable winds in the North Sea are an exceptional renewable resource, yet remote locations create challenges around grid connectivity and intermittency of supply. This flexible solution aims to overcome this challenge by providing an off take for the electricity produced in the immediate vicinity of the windfarm and aims to use existing platforms, pipelines, terminal infrastructure and offshore equipment leveraging the existing infrastructure to reduce costs.

With governments pushing net zero initiatives forward, this concept offers an alternative deployment of existing assets that provides both a source of green hydrogen and enhances the commercial feasibility of remote offshore wind projects.

"With our expertise in complex offshore operations and fleet management, Borr Drilling will leverage its core capabilities to evaluate the adoption of this alternative energy source in an environment with a large untapped potential," said Darren Sutherland, director of operations at Borr Drilling.

While the concept is still in its early stages, the consortium has asked interested parties to submit enquiries.

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