The BLPH is designed to store surplus offshore wind energy from the Hollandse Kust Noord (HKN) wind farm operated by CrossWind, a joint venture between Shell (80%) and Eneco (20%). The wind farm came onstream at the end of 2023 and has a total installed capacity of 759 MW, generating 3.3 TWh/y.

When production exceeds demand, the energy will be used to produce green hydrogen during periods of peak production. When demand exceeds supply the hydrogen is converted back into electricity, helping to stabilise the Dutch grid and reduce carbon emissions. The BLHP also includes a 5 MWh battery. The system can absorb both hourly and daily fluctuations of the wind profile, ensuring a more stable power output, explains CrossWind. The BLPH measures 19 by 41 metres and weighs about 2,200 tonnes.

Eric Minaux, Managing Director of Elogen, adds: ‘We are proud to contribute to a project that directly addresses the challenges of renewable energy intermittency. This PEM electrolyser combines an unprecedented level of marinisation, integration into a complete energy hub, and readiness for long-term offshore operations.’

Maria Kalogera, Innovations Manager CrossWind, comments: ‘The BLPH represents a groundbreaking concept, combining an electrolyser, a fuel cell and battery storage system designed and built for offshore conditions. Overcoming the complexities to make this system operational was a significant challenge.’

The BLPH platform is being set up in Eemshaven, the Netherlands, this summer. Ownership will then be transferred to offshore innovation company DOT. It will serve as a collaborative innovation hub, bringing together research institutions such as TNO (the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research), Groningen Seaports (the port authority for the port of Delfzijl, Eemshaven and the adjoining industrial sites) and Dutch universities to further develop knowledge about hydrogen production on a platform.

Rene Peters, TNO, comments: ‘[The BLPH] offers a wonderful opportunity to gain knowledge in the very short term that is needed to realise similar offshore wind energy hubs on a large scale in the future. We encourage the choice to test the platform onshore now. It makes the platform easily accessible to a wider network of researchers and energy institutes, which can accelerate innovation across the industry.’

CrossWind’s HKN offshore wind farm is located 18.5 km offshore of Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands.

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Dutch government proposes rolling back offshore wind targets

Last month, the Dutch government proposed rolling back the Netherlands’ 2040 offshore wind target of 50 GW to 30–40 GW as part of its North Sea Wind Energy Infrastructure Plan (WIN). In a letter to Parliament, Dutch Minister for Climate and Green Growth Sophie Hermans said that slower-than-expected electrification rates, rising capital expenditure for offshore wind and slower-than-anticipated development of hydrogen markets meant ‘realism’ was needed in rolling out offshore wind energy. She added that based on recent market studies ‘it does not seem feasible and necessary at the moment to have 50 GW of offshore wind… capacity by 2040’. A ‘recalibrated’ target for offshore wind and hydrogen is expected to be set out in a Climate and Energy Memorandum next month.

Commenting on the proposed target rollback, Dutch wind energy association NedZero said the previously stated target of 70 GW of offshore wind by 2050 was also now ‘at risk’. It added: ‘The Netherlands is also jeopardising its credibility at the European level. Through the North Seas Energy Cooperation, our country has committed to 193 GW of joint offshore wind capacity by 2040 and 260 GW by 2050, and signed the Ostend Declaration with a target of 300 GW by 2050. Lowering this ambition now risks a cascading effect that will jeopardise these joint goals.’