Vattenfall completes ‘world-first’ development for offshore hydrogen productionVattenfall completes ‘world-first’ development for offshore hydrogen production

Swedish state-owned power company Vattenfall has completed the “world-first” development phase for offshore hydrogen production in Scotland.

The innovation project, which has been exploring the possibilities of hydrogen production via offshore wind farms and transportation to shore, has concluded following two years of work.

Dubbed the HT1 Project, Vattenfall’s project was designed around its European Offshore Wind Development Centre located off the coast of Aberdeen. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply 2 funding programme funded the project.

Having tested the development phase for decentralised offshore hydrogen production and in light of other industry advances, Vattenfall has decided to conclude the project. Vattenfall will continue to explore fossil fuel-free hydrogen production as part of the energy transition.

Vattenfall confirmed that the findings from the project will be presented later in 2024. 

“Vattenfall is immensely proud that the HT1 Project has led to the creation of the new consenting regime for future offshore hydrogen production, transportation and storage in the UK,” said Lisa Christie, country manager for Vattenfall in the UK.

“The technological and environmental progress we have made will also enable further advances by the industry towards creating a thriving offshore hydrogen production market.” 

Vattenfall sells offshore wind portfolio to RWE

On 21 December, German multinational energy company RWE confirmed it was set to acquire a UK-based offshore wind portfolio totalling 4.2GW from Vattenfall.

RWE will secure the projects in a deal worth £963 million, subject to approval by The Crown Estate and regulatory approvals. Should this be given the green light, RWE will acquire the portfolio consisting of Norfolk Vanguard West, Norfolk Vanguard East and Norfolk Boreas in the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone in the first quarter of 2024.

The three projects, which RWE confirmed have been in development for 13 years, have already secured seabed rights, grid connections, development consent orders (DCOs) and all other vital permits. The projects are anticipated to be operational by the end of the decade.

For RWE, this represents another strategic move to bolster its UK assets, with Tom Glover, RWE’s UK country chair, stating that the UK is “one of our [RWE’s] most important core markets”.