Over time, renewable energy has become a hope for the energy transition of the future and Scotland seems to have found a treasure that will make part of this dream a reality. The company Oasis Marine has developed a promising solution for the production of green hydrogen via energy generated by offshore wind farms, but Is this a feasible and environmentally friendly alternative?
A treasure in the middle of the sea
The Scottish company Oasis Marine has proposed an innovative solution for offshore energy supply. This project is supported and funded by the Scottish Government through the Emerging Energy Technologies Fund (EETF) Hydrogen Innovation Program (HIS)which has been an important milestone in the search for ecological alternatives in the marine industry.
This involves the development of industrial mooring buoys that not only provide offshore hydrogen supply, but also electric charging, allowing ships to switch from diesel to greener, more sustainable energy.
In it Glasgow Kelvin Hydrodynamic Laboratorya demonstration of the mooring analysis of the hydrogen buoy was carried out in the context of the TestHOTS project (Offshore Hydrogen Transfer System Tank Tests). This has been a fundamental step in this development as it provided valuable technical information about the buoy’s connection to ships and how wave conditions affect bunkering.
In turn, Oasis Marine CEO George Smith highlighted the transformative potential of these buoys for the global marine industry. “These buoys will have a tangible impact on our shift from hydrocarbons to a green energy future.”he declared. These surprising developments promise to reduce the CO2 footprint of maritime transport and contribute to more sustainable shipping.
Studies against green hydrogen
Progress in green hydrogen has become the hope for the future, as it could reach the most complex sectors to electrify, such as industry or heavy transport. However There is great controversy between its advantages and disadvantages for the environment.
Although green hydrogen appears to be a promising solution, it is important to address the various challenges it faces while evaluating the potential drawbacks of this promising but also controversial technology.
Research by the Plymouth Marine Laboratory details the construction phase risks to marine biodiversity and an International Union for Conservation of Nature publication alleging birds colliding with turbines. For this reason, it is of utmost importance to analyze the places before their installation and evaluate alternatives to minimize these effects.
It’s worth a try
Scientists indicate that production of green hydrogen from offshore wind energy could cover the gap 75% of the hydrogen demandThis indicates that if the right conditions are met, it is fully feasible to continue decarbonizing the economy. Moreover, they emphasize that despite being more expensive than other alternatives, it can be competitive if favorable policies are implemented.
Moreover, a combination of already implemented renewable energies could be used, as is the case in research conducted by Czech, Egyptian and Kuwaiti scientists. This group designed and analyzed a green hydrogen production system with the off-grid combination of sun and wind, concluding that the energy generated can reach 6,998,000 kWh annually.
In conclusion, it can be said that the production of green hydrogen via offshore wind farms is a very promising and innovative alternative. These studies are therefore a major step for an energy transition, which, if tackled responsibly and its challenges analyzed, could become the technology of the future. a big step towards sustainability.