Frequently asked questions
What AquaVentus is, how offshore hydrogen works and what the initiative is working on.
About the initiative
What is AquaVentus?
AquaVentus is an initiative for producing green hydrogen from offshore wind energy in the North Sea. It is run by AquaVentus Förderverein e.V., registered on the island of Helgoland, with its office in Berlin. The association brings together companies, research institutions and organisations from across the value chain. The overarching goal is 10 gigawatts of offshore capacity in the North Sea, yielding around 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen a year.
Learn moreWho are the members of AquaVentus?
The association's members span the entire value chain: project developers and energy companies, grid and pipeline operators, suppliers and technology providers, ports, research institutions and regional development agencies. All publicly listed members are shown in full on the members page.
Learn moreWhat makes AquaVentus different from a think tank?
AquaVentus sees itself as a do-tank: members do not only develop positions, they run concrete projects together. Five flagship projects cover the path from generation through transport to end use, complemented by four working groups on technology, regulation, communication and international affairs.
Learn moreHow can my organisation become a member?
Membership is open to companies, research institutions and organisations active in, or moving into, the offshore hydrogen field. The benefits and the admission process are described on the membership page; the office can be reached at verein@aquaventus.org.
Learn moreWhere do I send press enquiries?
Press enquiries are handled by the office at press@aquaventus.org. All press releases are available in the news section as full text and additionally as PDF.
Learn moreGreen hydrogen at sea
What is green hydrogen from offshore wind energy?
Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity from renewable sources. At AquaVentus that electricity comes from offshore wind, and electrolysis takes place at sea, close to the wind farm. Using the hydrogen releases no carbon dioxide.
Learn moreWhy should electrolysis happen at sea rather than onshore?
Wind areas far from the coast would otherwise require long and expensive power cables to land. If the hydrogen is produced directly at sea, it can be transported through a pipeline, which is considerably cheaper per unit of energy transported than a subsea cable. Four key studies support this from different angles: AFRY Management Consulting (2022), commissioned by RWE, Gasunie, Gascade, Equinor and Shell, demonstrates the advantages of decentralised production at sea over centralised onshore solutions. DNV (2023) confirms the potential of hydrogen production on the open sea and specifies a European offshore backbone. The short study by E-Bridge Consulting (September 2024) puts the possible reduction in expansion costs through combined transport and connection concepts for wind areas far from the coast at up to EUR 31 billion. Frontier Economics (November 2025) finds that offshore sector coupling can lower system costs by up to EUR 1.7 billion a year.
Learn moreWhat does offshore sector coupling mean?
Sector coupling means planning electricity and hydrogen infrastructure together instead of separately. Offshore, that means connecting a wind farm both via a power cable and via a hydrogen pipeline, so it can feed in electricity or produce hydrogen depending on market conditions. These combined connection concepts are AquaVentus' central call on legislators.
Learn moreHow much money does offshore sector coupling save?
Two studies commissioned by AquaVentus examined this. Frontier Economics concludes in November 2025 that system costs in zones 4 and 5 of the German North Sea can be reduced by up to 1.7 billion euros per year. The short study by E-Bridge Consulting (September 2024) puts the possible reduction in expansion costs through combined transport and connection concepts at up to 31 billion euros.
Learn moreThe projects
What is AquaDuctus?
AquaDuctus is the planned offshore hydrogen pipeline from the North Sea to shore: around 400 kilometres at sea and 100 kilometres on land, with a transport capacity of up to 20 gigawatts across two expansion stages. On 22 October 2024 the Federal Network Agency approved the German hydrogen core network, in which AquaDuctus is the only pipeline project foreseen for the German North Sea. The permitting procedures for construction run separately from that. The operator is Gascade Gastransport GmbH; at EU level the project is IPCEI-notified and holds PCI status.
Learn moreWhat is SEN-1?
SEN-1 is the area in the German North Sea designated for the first large-scale offshore hydrogen production, set out in the site development plan of the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency. Across 102 square kilometres, 1,000 megawatts of electrolysis capacity are planned, corresponding to around 100,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year. Transport is to run through the AquaDuctus pipeline.
Learn moreWhat is AquaPrimus?
AquaPrimus is the initiative's demonstrator electrolyser at sea, rated at 1 to 5 megawatts. It tests seawater treatment, electrolysis, compression and storage as an interacting system, preparing the ground for the SEN-1 tenders.
Learn moreWhat is the AquaCampus?
The AquaCampus is a 3 square kilometre research area in the North Sea off Helgoland where maritime technologies are tested under real conditions. Water depth reaches 45 metres and the area is marked by eight yellow buoys. In this form it is unique in Europe.
Learn moreWhat is AquaNavis?
AquaNavis addresses green hydrogen as an energy carrier for shipping. Around 90 per cent of world trade moves by sea, and shipping accounts for roughly 3 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions, with a rising trend. The project is in its concept phase.
Learn more