HOH2TEST | Feasibility study on offshore hydrogen test facility

Integrating hydrogen technology (electrolysis, fuel cell, storage and compression) into offshore wind farms, offshore sub-stations or energy islands is a response to the necessary energy diversification. The aim of this study is to determine which test facility is necessary for the components of such an infrastructure so that it is reliable and performant for 25 to 40 years. Belgian companies have the ambition to develop and produce these components, but do not have the necessary test infrastructure.

Objective and results

The HOH2TEST project studies the needs and feasibility for testing of offshore hydrogen applications (electrolysers, compression, high pressure storage, fuel cells), both from technical and economical point of view. 

Testing capabilities, which will be investigated for feasibility in the HOH2TEST project:

• target offshore hydrogen applications, spread over the whole value chain, from hydrogen production over storage and distribution to the utilisation of hydrogen for transport or energy production.
• target different levels of elements in the hydrogen systems, ranging from individual components (coupons or material samples) to sub-assembly or subcomponents to fully integrated full-scale systems.
• range from small scale lab tests of the components to full scale field tests of completely integrated systems, in realistic offshore conditions. 

The project will study the feasibility of different on-shore and offshore implementation possibilities (i.e. a mobile testing platform on a vessel, a floating platform at the offshore test site in Ostend, or at the future Belgian energy island). This feasibility study focuses only on the identification and concept definition of the missing experimental test facilities. Simulation capabilities will not be assessed at the present stage.

Target group

The setting up of dedicated hydrogen test facilities for offshore hydrogen applications targets to industrial players. It supports them to increase the reliability of their hydrogen equipment, to lower the maintenance and to extend the lifetime.
Funding - timing

Funding

• Funding framework: ETF Energy Transition Fund