Thermoplastic composite pipe specialist Strohm and wind turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa will work together on developing hydrogen transfer solutions that improve a decentralised green hydrogen concept. In this concept, wind turbine generators generate green hydrogen, which is transported to shore by a subsea pipe infrastructure.
Instead of power cables, a pipe infrastructure will be installed, which can store and transfer the hydrogen. Strohm designs and manufactures thermoplastic composite pipe (TCP), which is particularly suited for carrying hydrogen offshore and subsea.
Produced at its plant in the Netherlands, the corrosion-resistant technology does not fatigue or suffer from issues associated with using steel pipe for hydrogen, such as embrittlement. Manufactured in long spoolable lengths and flexible in nature, the pipe can be pulled directly into the wind turbine generator, quickly and cost effectively building an offshore wind farm infrastructure.
TCP does not require any maintenance and is suitable for over thirty years in operation, lowering the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) to a minimum and enabling the decentralised concept solution.
Also read: Siemens Gamesa commissions new hydrogen-ready service operations vessel
Electrolyser in wind turbine
Siemens Gamesa has already taken significant steps in developing the basis for a decentralised offshore solution that fully integrates an electrolyser into an offshore wind turbine, with clear benefits and value-add potential such as capex reduction, increase of system efficiency, and increase of wind farm uptime.
‘At Siemens Gamesa, we believe in the potential of green hydrogen and have been working on the decentralised concept for some years,’ says Finn Daugaard Madsen, innovation manager Power to X at Siemens Gamesa. ‘Strohm has supported us through several case studies, identifying the solutions that can be readily used which complement our own systems. This partnership will assist us to innovate together in an open format, accelerating the availability of green hydrogen.’
Also read: Siemens Gamesa challenges GE with new 14-MW offshore turbine
Green hydrogen
Green hydrogen is hydrogen that is generated entirely by renewable energy. Green hydrogen has significantly lower carbon emissions than grey hydrogen, which is produced by steam reforming of natural gas and represents 95 per cent of the market.
