Offshore Wind Farms with Hydrogen: Setting New Standards for Operational Efficiency

The production of hydrogen in offshore wind farms is still a future scenario. But what if offshore wind turbines could generate not only electricity but also hydrogen in the future? This concept has the potential to fundamentally change wind farm operations and unlock numerous strategic advantages. Below is an overview of the key opportunities:

1. Fuel Autonomy for Service Vessels

Decentralized hydrogen production on-site could enable Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs), Service Operation Vessels (SOVs), and, in the future, autonomous drones to refuel directly within the wind farm. This would eliminate the need for long and costly return trips to the shore. Offshore wind farms designed for hydrogen production are typically located farther offshore than today’s conventional wind farms, making shore-independent operations essential. The operational time of CTVs within the offshore area could be significantly extended, substantially reducing response times for maintenance and repair missions. Drones, in particular, could be deployed more flexibly for material transport or inspection tasks, thus expanding the portfolio of available service tools.

2. Reduction of CO₂, Pollutant Emissions, and Noise Levels

The use of green hydrogen as a zero-emission energy carrier would largely replace fossil fuels such as diesel or marine gas oil. As a result, CO₂ emissions, as well as particulate matter, NOx, and noise emissions throughout the wind farm's service and logistics operations, could be significantly reduced.

This would not only improve the project's carbon footprint but also address key concerns raised by critics of offshore wind energy, who often cite the environmental impact of service vessels.

3. Increased Supply Security

Hydrogen could also serve as a versatile energy storage medium, enhancing the energy supply security within the wind farm. In particular, it offers an independent power source for emergency backup systems and critical infrastructure such as communication and control units. In the event of weather-related supply disruptions or during extended maintenance periods, operations would become much more resilient to interruptions.

4. Sustainable Energy Supply for Offshore Accommodations

Hydrogen also offers significant benefits for powering offshore accommodations (e.g., offshore substations or living quarters). Replacing diesel generators with hydrogen-based fuel cell solutions could drastically reduce both operating costs and emissions. Furthermore, combined heat and power generation (CHP) based on hydrogen enables efficient supply of control systems, communication equipment, and onboard heating systems.

5. Scaling Potential for Future Applications

Building an offshore hydrogen infrastructure opens the door to a range of future applications:

From supplying autonomous surface and underwater vehicles, to offshore charging stations for electric ships, and even feeding hydrogen into the onshore hydrogen grid—either via pipeline or transport by specialized tankers. The possibility of bunkering hydrogen for transport vessels such as container ships or bulk carriers directly at the offshore wind farm is also conceivable. This would ease congestion at coastal ports, as vessels could utilize their offshore waiting times for refuelling. Such flexibility presents both operators and service providers with new economic opportunities and innovation potential.

Conclusion

The integration of hydrogen technologies into offshore wind farms could make operations more sustainable, efficient, and resilient. Although implementation is still a vision of the future, it is worthwhile to start paving the way for this development today.

The Author: Sebastian Guse von Deutsche Windtechnik Offshore und Consulting GmbH