Lhyfe has shared the outcomes of an extensive trial conducted off the western coast of France involving its offshore hydrogen production pilot platform, Sealhyfe. This platform, which returned to dock in November, featured a 1-MW electrolyser provided by Plug and was specifically engineered to validate the viability of hydrogen production from renewable sources in offshore environments. The trial also aimed to affirm the dependability of electrolysis technology under harsh conditions typical of potential large-scale offshore locations. Additionally, it sought to gather operational data to enhance the reliability of production processes and test the scalability of technologies for future offshore facilities with capacities potentially 100 times greater.

The Sealhyfe platform, housing various measurement and data collection instruments, oversaw the management and control of system parameters from September 2022 to November 2023. Initial assessments were conducted at the quayside, followed by further evaluations at sea. Lhyfe performed extensive tests on the system's responsiveness in diverse configurations, showcasing its ability to handle the variability of wind power in specific offshore conditions. Notably, the electrolysis system, even at maximum production capacity, demonstrated performance comparable to land-based installations.

The experimental phase included subjecting production system equipment to extreme conditions for managing platform movement and environmental stress. Notably, the platform endured Storm Ciaran in October, featuring waves exceeding 10 meters and winds exceeding 150 kph along the French Atlantic coast. Post-storm analysis confirmed that all equipment remained undamaged, with production capacity unaffected. Throughout the trial, a combination of onboard and remotely controlled measuring instruments was employed to optimize efficiency and reliability of safety systems, electrical architecture, automation, fluid, and stock management.

Subsequently, the site was operated remotely from Lhyfe's control center, utilizing supervision and control tools developed by the company. Lhyfe reported that the experiment validated software and algorithms for producing green and renewable hydrogen, reducing the number of necessary marine operations to less than 10, and achieving a system runtime of 70%.

Furthermore, Lhyfe collaborated with French authorities to establish operational guidelines for a green hydrogen production unit operating within urban, industrial, and port environments, as well as in open sea conditions. The insights gained from this trial will be integrated into the HOPE project, which has been awarded a €20 million grant by the European Commission as part of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership. An additional €13 million grant from the Belgian government supports this initiative. Led by Lhyfe, a consortium of nine companies is working towards the commercialization of offshore green hydrogen production. The proposed 10-MW project aims to produce up to 4 metric tons of green hydrogen per day at sea, with transportation to shore through pipelines and subsequent compression and delivery to clients.