France is now turning its focus to hydrogen production in the Atlantic, alongside offshore wind farms. The pilot project, led by the French company Lhyfe, has successfully completed its testing phase, prompting plans for the development of the entire facility.

Hydrogen is recognized as a promising alternative to fossil fuels, serving as an energy storage solution and a clean fuel for various applications. Despite challenges in efficiency, costs, and infrastructure associated with hydrogen production, France has undertaken the construction of an offshore hydrogen production facility. The Sealhyfe platform, located off the coast of Le Croisic in the Atlantic, has been producing hydrogen since June. Equipped with a one-megawatt electrolyzer from Plug Power, the platform can produce up to 400 kilograms of hydrogen per day and is connected to the Floatgen offshore wind turbine (2 MW) on the Wavegem platform by GEPS Techno SAS.

Following successful sea trials and data collection, the platform has returned to the port of Nantes Saint-Nazaire. The analyzed results are expected to be published in January 2024. Lhyfe considers offshore hydrogen production a realistic venture and plans to expand this innovative approach.

The insights gained from the testing phase, particularly from the world’s first offshore hydrogen production pilot project by Lhyfe, will be shared with the EU-funded HOPE project. The goal of the HOPE project is to commercialize offshore hydrogen production, receiving a €20 million grant and coordinated by Lhyfe in collaboration with nine partners. By 2026, Lhyfe plans to operate a facility with a 10 MW electrolysis capacity, capable of producing up to four tons of green hydrogen per day. This hydrogen will be transported ashore through pipelines, compressed, and delivered to customers. Lhyfe is confident that the findings from the Sealhyfe project can contribute significantly to the progress of the HOPE project.

Read the original news report in german here.