Ørsted Proceeding with First Renewable Hydrogen Project
Danish energy company Ørsted has decided to move forward with its investment in a Danish demonstration project, which will use offshore wind energy to produce renewable hydrogen. The project, which is expected to produce its first hydrogen in late 2021, will be Ørsted's first renewable hydrogen project in operation.
Known as H2RES, the project will investigate how to best combine an electrolyzer with the fluctuating power supply from offshore wind. H2RES will have a capacity of 2 MW and the facility will produce up to around 1,000 kg of renewable hydrogen daily. The hydrogen will be used as a fuel source for vehicles in the area around Copenhagen
"We see renewable hydrogen and other sustainable fuels as cornerstones in reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, and H2RES will contribute with key learnings to turn Europe's ambitious build-out targets for renewable hydrogen into a new industrial success story,” said Martin Neubert, Executive Vice President and CEO of Ørsted Offshore. “With the right framework in place that incentivizes the shift away from fossil fuels, renewable hydrogen can decarbonize transport and heavy industry, which is paramount to creating a world that runs entirely on green energy."
The hydrogen project will be located at the Avedøre Power Station in Copenhagen, Denmark. According to the company. The location with practically unlimited global offshore wind resources is ideally suited to power renewable hydrogen electrolysis. H2RES will use two of Ørsted’s 3.6 MW offshore wind turbines.
"H2RES is an example of how public co-funding coupled with a committed hydrogen industry and ambitious off-takers can drive the decarbonization of the transport sector,” said Anders Nordstrøm, Vice President and Head of Ørsted's hydrogen activities. “H2RES is a small but important step towards large-scale renewable hydrogen production, and it will allow us to demonstrate how offshore wind combined with onshore electrolysis can offer decarbonization beyond direct electrification."
The Danish Energy Agency’s Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program (EUDP) previously awarded nearly $6 million for the development of the H2RES project. Ørsted is working in conjunction with Everfuel Europe, NEL Hydrogen, Green Hydrogen Systems, DSV Panalpina, Hydrogen Denmark, and Energinet Elsystemansvar on the development of the project.
Ørsted has over the past 18 months partnered with different groups for seven renewable hydrogen projects in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.