Safety risks for the world''s first offshore hydrogen production facilities will be studied.
DNV will undertake workshops and technical sessions to assess the main environmental, safety and operational risks for the SEM-REV site, off the coast of Le Croisic, France. Risks to be investigated include the floating barge, fuel cells and hydrogen production. A regulations and standards review will also be included as part of the study.
A partnership between green hydrogen producer Lhyfe and French School of engineering and research Centrale Nantes, the SEM-REV project is a green hydrogen-generating electrolyser intended to be powered by electricity from a floating wind turbine, with a target start-up date in 2022.
Santiago Blanco, executive vice-president and regional director Southern Europe, MEA and LATAM, energy systems at DNV, said: “This is potentially a watershed project, one we are excited to be supporting during the FEED stage. Proving the safety of such activities, particularly with new technologies, to gain acceptance and move them closer to adoption, is vital for the industry and stakeholders.
“Working with Lhyfe and Centrale Nantes to further their ambitions is something we are pleased to announce, as we believe green hydrogen at-scale is the ultimate destination for the future of energy storage.”
The offshore electrolyser will be installed on GEPS Techno's floating platform and connected to the various sources of Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) available on the offshore test site, including the Floatgen floating wind turbine. This unique production process only emits oxygen, no CO2 during the operation.
Centrale Nantes is also making its research facilities available and providing support for the various regulatory, experimental and logistical phases.
By Rebecca Jeffrey
