From offshore renewable energy to green hydrogen: addressing critical questions

Addressing climate change and navigating the energy transition are more urgent than ever. Several researchers agree that renewable energy adoption and industrial decarbonization are essential pathways forward. As sectors like transportation and heating become increasingly electrified, energy demand is expected to rise, necessitating innovative solutions. Green and blue hydrogen, touted as potential game changers, hold promise in this transition but require advanced electrolysis technologies, sustainable materials, high-pressure storage systems, and optimized system designs for energy efficiency, safety, and scalability to enable large-scale implementation. This study discusses the critical aspects of offshore green hydrogen production, focusing on key findings related to production methods, electrolyzer technologies, and their associated challenges. Key findings highlight that the levelized cost of hydrogen is significantly influenced by the cost of electricity from offshore wind farms, capital expenditure on electrolyzers, and the logistics of offshore platforms, pipelines, and storage. Hydrogen storage advancements, including metal hydrides and chemical carriers, are vital for realizing green hydrogen’s potential as an energy vector. Additionally, the industrial-scale production of green hydrogen through electrolysis powered by offshore wind offers promising pathways for decarbonizing energy systems. The study also emphasizes the critical role of collaboration between local and international policy stakeholders, industrial partnerships, and institutional support in shaping a favorable future for hydrogen in the global energy transition.