DNV will lead the process safety study to identify the main environmental, safety and operational risks for the world's first offshore hydrogen production facilities.

Lhyfe, a producer and supplier of green and renewable hydrogen for transport and industry, and Centrale Nantes, a French School of engineering and research center - manages SEM-REV offshore test site. Lhyfe and Centrale Nantes’ ambitious goal is to make offshore renewable hydrogen a reality, by demonstrating the reliability of an offshore electrolyzer. It represents a world-first at a time when initiatives for offshore green hydrogen production are emerging across Europe.

Located off the coast of Le Croisic, France, the green hydrogen-generating system is intended to be powered by electricity from a floating wind turbine, with a target start-up date in 2022.

As part of the design of the new facility, DNV’s experts will undertake workshops and technical sessions to identify and analyze the main environmental, safety and operational risks associated with the project.

"This is potentially a watershed project, one we are excited to be supporting during the FEED stage," said Santiago Blanco, Executive Vice-President and Regional Director Southern Europe, MEA and LATAM, Energy Systems at DNV. "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."

Risks which will be investigated by DNV include the floating barge, fuel cells and hydrogen production. A regulations and standards review will also be included as part of the study.

The offshore electrolyzer 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 to ensure a successful outcome.