Dutch offshore wind farm developer CrossWind has awarded Italy-based Rosetti Marino a new engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) contract for an offshore green hydrogen production and storage pilot plant - called the 'Baseload Power Hub.'
The Baseload Power Hub will be located within CrossWind’s Hollandse Kust Noord offshore wind farm, 18.5 kilometers off the Dutch coast. CrossWind is a joint venture between Shell (80%) and Eneco (20%).
"The innovative pilot plant on a MegaWatt scale, fully integrated in an offshore wind farm, is a world first. It will convert excess wind energy to green hydrogen through an electrolyzer and store it as green hydrogen that can be converted to electricity when needed via a fuel cell. It will also include battery storage for shorter-term power storage," Rosetti Marino said.
The Baseload Power Hub aims to reduce the problem of the intermittent character of renewable energy production as the wind does not blow at all times by storing energy and releasing it when demand exceeds the wind farm output.
The scope of work of the contract awarded to Rosetti Marino SpA includes detailed engineering of the Baseload Power Hub, procurement of material and equipment, construction work, transport and installation at sea, and commissioning and start-up of the platform (EPCIC).
Oscar Guerra, CEO of the Ravenna-based company, said: "We are proud that an esteemed client such as CrossWind has chosen Rosetti Marino for the realisation of this extraordinary project. It is the first platform of its kind in the world and the first that will produce offshore green hydrogen for renewable energy storage. Rosetti Marino hopes that solutions like this will have a significant follow-up and marks another important step towards diversification in favour of renewable energy and the circular economy."
Maria Kalogera, Innovations Manager at CrossWind, said: “Securing the EPCI contract between Rosetti Marino SpA and CrossWind for the Baseload Power Hub is a great milestone for both companies. By addressing the intermittency challenge associated with renewable power generation, we are revolutionising the way renewable energy sources can contribute to a cleaner and more reliable energy future. The realization of the Baseload Power Hub with Rosetti Marino SpA will not only showcase CrossWind’s commitment to innovation but also demonstrate our dedication to foster better energy solutions. We are excited to be at the forefront of integrating electricity production, hydrogen storage and conversion systems offshore and look forward to the positive impact it will have on our energy landscape and the acceleration of the energy transition.”
Activities are due to start immediately and are expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
As for the Hollandse Kust offshore wind farm, it last month produced its first megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity, and delivered it via TenneT’s offshore grid to the Dutch mainland. In the coming months, production capacity will be constantly increased, so the wind farm will eventually generate 3.3 TWh a year. When complete, the Hollandse Kust Noord wind farm will have a total installed capacity of 759 MW.
