A group of energy industry majors have secured £887,000 in funding for a project that seeks to develop offshore green hydrogen generation.
Innovate UK’s Launchpad: net zero industry, Southwest Wales program has awarded Dolphyn Hydrogen, Celtic Sea Power, ORE Catapult and Wales and West Utilities the grant to deliver the Milford Haven: Hydrogen Kingdom (MH:HK) project.
Dolphyn Hydrogen will develop green hydrogen from floating offshore wind (FLOW) in an 90km2 area off the coast of Pembrokeshire, known as the Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone (PDZ). The MH:HK project will aim to develop pipeline connections for hydrogen to the shore and onwards to offtakers.
Offshore tests of Dolphyn Hydrogen’s process, which combines electrolysis, desalination, and hydrogen production have been carried out throughout the summer of 2024. This marks the first time that hydrogen has been produced from seawater in a marine environment in the UK.
In a statement, Dolphyn Hydrogen commented: “There is now broad consensus that both renewable electricity and low carbon hydrogen are required to achieve net zero targets. FLOW provides a significant opportunity to achieve the scale of generation needed, including within the Celtic Sea region, but to date the emphasis has been on electricity generation alone.”
“The Dolphyn Technology provides an opportunity to extend FLOW’s potential into offshore hydrogen generation, taking advantage of the fact that it is generally cheaper to transport hydrogen rather than electricity ashore, especially over long distances. Hydrogen also has the advantage of not being subject to electricity grid constraints, which are often a major barrier to electrical FLOW projects.”
Steve Matthews, CEO of Dolphyn Hydrogen, added: “Low carbon hydrogen will provide a critical part of the future energy mix in Wales and the UK, enhancing energy security and enabling our net zero ambitions to be realised.
“The Milford Haven Hydrogen Kingdom project provides a pivotal step forward for Dolphyn Hydrogen, our project partners, and the hydrogen industry more generally, in demonstrating a viable pathway for producing affordable hydrogen at scale from offshore floating wind. We are delighted to be part of a team that is dedicated to creating a better future for all.”
