A consortium led by hydrogen producer Lhyfe has landed a $21.8 million, five-year grant from the European Commission to build what could become the world’s first large-scale renewable hydrogen production plant offshore.

The project, which involves nine companies, aims to demonstrate the technical and financial viability of large-scale hydrogen production in the North Sea. Hydrogen and fuel cell producer Plug Power, which is part of the consortium, said June 27 it will design and deliver a 10-megawatt (MW) proton exchange membrane electrolyzer system for the project.

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Hydrogen Offshore Production Europe, the world's first offshore large-scale renewable hydrogen production plant. (Source: Lhyfe)

“Once successfully demonstrated, we anticipate private sector investments in offshore hydrogen production will accelerate,” Plug Power CEO Andy Marsh said in a news release.

Called Hydrogen Offshore Production Europe (HOPE), the project aims to produce up to four tons of green hydrogen per day in a testing zone off the Belgium coast. Production will rely on electricity supplied by power purchase agreements, with North Sea water being pumped, desalinated and purified for electrolysis use. Hydrogen will be transported via composite pipeline for delivery onshore in Belgium, northern France and southern Netherlands, according the release.

“HOPE is the first offshore project of this size in the world to begin actual implementation, with the production unit and export and distribution infrastructure due to come on stream in mid-2026,” said Lhyfe, which is coordinating the project and handling engineering, equipment procurement, production optimization and the export and distribution system.

Grants funds will be used for the project’s design phases, equipment, construction work and R&D focused on technology and infrastructure optimization, Lhyfe said.

Working with Plug Power, Lhyfe in 2022 pioneered the proof-of-concept for Sealhyfe, the world’s first floating offshore production. Powered by a 1 MW electrolyzer on a floating platform, the site off France has the capacity to produce up to 400 kg of hydrogen per day.

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