Dutch startup Hydron Energy has demonstrated the effectiveness of an innovative solution for desalination and purification of seawater with a test setup in the port of Texel.
In this way, green hydrogen can be produced using energy from offshore wind farms and brought ashore via pipelines. Offshore wind farms are suitable locations for producing green hydrogen. Offshore wind generates electricity that can be converted into hydrogen via electrolysis of seawater and transported via existing gas pipelines. The production of green hydrogen at sea has a number of advantages. For example, transporting hydrogen molecules is much cheaper than transporting electrons via new electricity cables from offshore wind farms to land.
Although there is much to be said for the production of green hydrogen at sea, large-scale production has not yet taken off. This is due to the fact that electrolyzers require the use of ultra-pure water. In order to use 'normal' seawater, it must first be desalinated and then extensively purified and filtered.
Hydron Energy, a Dutch start-up that has been part of the German technology group Schaeffler since the summer of 2021, has come up with a solution to this problem in close collaboration with specialists from Wageningen Food & Biobased Research (WFBR) that is as innovative as it is efficient. Residual heat released during the electrolysis process is used to desalinate seawater. In this way, green hydrogen can be produced using energy from offshore wind farms and brought ashore via pipelines.
Hydron tested the technology with a test setup in the port of Texel. The feasibility study – carried out under the name SEA2H2 – was recently completed. With positive results: it has been demonstrated that it is possible to desalinate and purify seawater. Hydron Energy is now working within Schaeffler on the next step: scaling up the hybrid system of desalination and membrane electrolysis for application on an industrial scale.
The generation of green hydrogen from wind power is an important growth area for Schaeffler. The group wants to become one of the leading suppliers of components. “To this end, we are combining Hydron’s innovative development with Schaeffler’s strengths, such as our expertise in the rapid scaling up of products and projects,” explains Bernd Hetterscheidt, Head of the Strategic Business Unit Hydrogen at Schaeffler.
Sander ten Hoopen, one of the founders of Hydron Energy and currently Head of Schaeffler Systems Engineering: “Hydrogen produced from green energy from offshore wind turbines will play a crucial role in achieving Europe’s climate targets. We are extremely proud that our development can contribute to the further expansion of Schaeffler’s value chain and the competitive production of green hydrogen.”
