Thrust for the hot phase

Four other companies are interested in hydrogen production in the North Sea

• The AquaVentus Support Association welcomes four new members from the offshore grid operation, natural gas production, bolting technology, and testing and certification services sectors.
• This gives the initiative additional support in the discussion about the best ways to defossilize.

Helgoland/ Berlin – In the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, the topic of hydrogen is also receiving a lot of attention: “An accelerated expansion of electrolysis capacity and ramp-up of the hydrogen economy can make a decisive contribution to reducing overall dependence on fossil fuels more quickly,” says Jörg Singer, Chairman of the Board of the AquaVentus Förderverein. “We are very pleased to see the continued interest and new additions of organizations that want to advance this goal with us.” The four new members will give the association even more momentum before the ramp-up of the offshore hydroelectric industry begins this year with the first tender for an “other energy production” (SEN-1) site. “We are thus entering the hot phase around the start of offshore hydrogen production in the North Sea,” comments Singer. The new members come from offshore grid operations, natural gas production, bolting and distribution, and testing and certification services. North Sea grid operator and Australian energy producer on board From now on, the transmission system operator TenneT and the Australian gas production company Woodside will support the AquaVentus vision. Since 2006, the German-Dutch company TenneT has been connecting offshore wind farms in the German North Sea to the European transmission grid, thus ensuring that the electricity generated is fed into the public grid. In addition to the twelve grid connections already completed, TenneT will commission four more offshore grid connections by 2027. The transmission operator is also working on several projects to integrate offshore hydrogen generation. As a solution, the focus is on a system of several interconnected wind energy distribution hubs in the North Sea and on land, in order to be able to couple these with electrolysis projects. Australia’s leading gas producer Woodside also wants to play an active role in shaping the energy transition. Founded in 1954, the company invests in net-zero emissions hydrogen and ammonia projects, including in Western Australia, Tasmania and the United States. Safety and bolting technology In the area of testing and certification services, AquaVentus receives reinforcement from TÜV Rheinland Industrie Service GmbH. The company’s experts test technical systems and products around the globe, accompany innovations in technology and business, train people in numerous professions, and certify management systems according to international standards. Hytorc is known for its high torque bolting technology and torque machines. Especially in the offshore wind industry, the right bolting procedures can save operating costs by extending inspection intervals and preventing the need to replace complete bolt sets. Barbarino & Klip GmbH is the Hytorc distribution center in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Turkey and Azerbaijan. In 2019, the traditional trading house founded the certified learning service provider Akademie der Schraubverbindung (AdSV) for training and further education in all aspects of bolting processes. What role the members will play in the future in the AquaVentus sponsoring association and sometimes in the individual AquaVentus projects is still open.