Siemens Gamesa and Siemens Energy unveiled plans for a major joint push into green hydrogen that includes integration of electrolysers into offshore wind turbines, confirming recent Recharge reports of increased activity by the OEM in the fast-emerging renewable H₂ sector.

Siemens Gamesa and its parent group will spend €120m ($146m) between them to build a full-scale demonstrator by 2025/26 of a “fully-integrated offshore wind-to-hydrogen solution” based around the OEM’s 14MW turbine that is the world’s most powerful in commercial development.

The Siemens Energy-developed electrolyser at the base of the turbine tower will “lower the cost of hydrogen by being able to run off grid, opening up more and better wind sites”, said a statement announcing the joint push.

“The developments will serve as a test bed for making large-scale, cost-efficient hydrogen production a reality and will prove the feasibility of reliable, effective implementation of wind turbines in systems for producing hydrogen from renewable energy,” the partners claimed.

Production of hydrogen offshore near, or directly linked to renewable power supply is seen by some as one of the potential big wins of the energy transition, freeing the green fuel from the complexities and costs of the electricity network, tapping strong winds and eliminating the need for giant electrolysers on land.

Other initiatives underway around the world include basing electrolysers on oil & gas-style offshore platforms, or even creating artificial islands to house the infrastructure, in a bid to help drive the cost of renewable hydrogen down to levels where it can compete with alternatives such as 'blue' H₂from abated gas.

The Siemens announcement came as analyst Rystad Energy branded green hydrogen from offshore wind “not economically viable” under current conditions, while admitting that could change.

Unique position

Christian Bruch, CEO of Siemens Energy, said: “Together with Siemens Gamesa, we are in a unique position to develop this game-changing solution. We are the company that can leverage its highly flexible electrolyser technology and create and redefine the future of sustainable offshore energy production.

“With these developments, the potential of regions with abundant offshore wind will become accessible for the hydrogen economy.”

The announcement cements growing signs of activity in the hydrogen sector linked to Siemens Gamesa and reported by Recharge in recent months.

The OEM and sector giant Orsted this week announced plans to develop a “fully marinised” offshore wind-to-green hydrogen system, while Recharge reported late last year how RWE was looking at a pilot scheme involving 14MW turbines in Germany, although these are not confirmed to involve Siemens Gamesa.

The partners said their joint hydrogen push forms part of a Siemens Energy-led project named H2Mare that is “likely” to get support from the German government under an initiative called ‘Hydrogen Republic of Germany’.

Germany in 2020 unveiled a national hydrogen strategy that envisages massive production of green H₂ from domestic renewables, as well as importing the fuel from elsewhere in the world.

Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa cited research suggesting up to 4,000GW of renewable capacity will be needed by 2050 to power production of enough green H₂ to meet demand by then.

Wind

'Game changing': Siemens Gamesa and parent plan offshore wind turbine with built-in hydrogen