Hydrogen/Wind Powered Coastal Community for Norway

The demonstration project being built this year aims to show how wind power and hydrogen can provide all the energy needs of Utsira’s 250 strong community, making it fully independent of fossil fuels. This is the first full scale project of its kind in the world and is a barrier breaking milestone in the development of green energy systems.

Wind power alone would not be sufficient on Utsira as the island can be ravaged by violent storms yet at other times has no wind at all. Hydrogen, however, provides excellent chemical energy storage and can be used to store the energy produced by the wind turbines. The idea is to use the excess energy from the wind turbines to produce hydrogen.

Norsk Hydro’s particular solution for Utsira is to erect a wind turbine that will be linked to a hydrogen production unit.

Hydrogen is produced by means of an electrolyser delivered by Hydro Electrolysers. Initially, a hydrogen run generator will produce the additional electricity but in the spring of 2004 a fuel cell will be installed which will provide electricity directly from hydrogen.

The energy plant will be ready in January 2004. Construction begins this month, with the two wind turbines to be installed in August and the plant completed through the autumn.

‘This is a very exciting full-scale project, says Jorgen Rostrup, Norsk Hydro’s senior vice president Renewables and Hydrogen. ‘As this is a pilot plant we cannot expect it to be commercially viable, but it still has great value. The Utsira project will give us unique experience of building and operating a future orientated plant.’

The Utsira project will see Norsk Hydro draw upon experience in several areas of operation. The company has over 80 years experience of hydrogen production and storage through its agricultural activities and, as Norway’s largest electricity producer, is experienced at building and running power plants. Through its North Sea oil activities, the company is also vastly experienced at working in harsh marine environments.

MJ Information No: 183101