The Anonymous Widower

Lhyfe And Centrica To Develop Offshore Renewable Green Hydrogen In The UK

The title of his post is the same as that of this news item from Centrica.

These are the bullet points.

• Memorandum of Understanding will pave the way for green hydrogen pilot production site at sea
• Energy firms explore large scale partnership in drive to net zero
• Aim for UK to become a global leader in the hydrogen sector

This is the third paragraph, that outlines the objectives of the project.

The pilot will aim to combine Lhyfe’s expertise on green hydrogen production and Centrica’s experience of gas storage and infrastructure to ensure that the hydrogen produced can be safely stored and utilised in the UK. The end result would be proof that an end-to-end hydrogen production, storage, and distribution system is possible in the country.

I have a couple of thoughts.

Offshore Production Of Hydrogen

I remember from the 1960s, when I told friends and my mother, that I worked in a hydrogen factory, some of them asked if it was dangerous.

The Hindenburg and the R 101 had a lot to answer for even forty years later.

But does that fear of hydrogen still exist? If it does, surely building hydrogen electrolysers offshore could be a way of reducing that fear?

There are also other reasons to produce hydrogen offshore.

• The latest electrolysers will work with sea water, which means the water doesn’t need to be desalinated first.
• The hydrogen can be brought ashore and stored using redundant gas infrastructure.
• Using redundant gas infrastructure may be a more affordable way of bringing energy onshore.
• A severe hydrogen leak may be much less dangerous 50 km. offshore. It will quickly disperse and rise into the atmosphere.

The accountants will probably decide.

Do Centrica Have Big Ambitions For Hydrogen?

This is said about Centrica in the news item.

• Centrica is a leading international services and solutions company with ambitious plans across the business to reach net zero by 2045. Centrica have identified hydrogen as playing an essential part in company and UK targets to achieve net zero.
• Centrica Storage are a 100% owned subsidiary of Centrica and own and operate the Rough gas field storage facility, located off the coast of Humberside.
• Centrica has a long-term ambition to turn Rough into the world’s largest hydrogen storage facility in Europe.

Centrica appear to have big ambitions for hydrogen.

March 20, 2023 - Posted by AnonW | Hydrogen | Centrica, Lhyfe, Offshore Hydrogen Production