ERM, a leading sustainability consultancy, has commenced offshore trials at Pembroke Port, South Wales, for its Dolphyn Hydrogen process. This initiative, after six years of development, represents a groundbreaking effort to produce hydrogen from seawater in a marine environment in the UK.
The trials, ongoing through July 2024, are heralded as a significant advancement towards enabling the UK to produce low-carbon hydrogen reliably and at scale. ERM's Dolphyn Hydrogen process integrates electrolysis, desalination, and hydrogen production on a floating wind platform. Hydrogen produced is transported ashore via pipeline and can be utilized across various sectors including power generation, transport, industry, and heating.
Funding and support for the Dolphyn Hydrogen project have been provided by the UK Government's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, under the GBP 1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP). With over GBP 8 million in funding received to date, the project has garnered endorsement from devolved Governments in Wales and Scotland.
Steve Matthews, CEO of Dolphyn Hydrogen, emphasized the role of low-carbon hydrogen in advancing the energy transition and bolstering energy security while creating green economy jobs. He stated, “These Dolphyn Hydrogen trials mark an important milestone in our journey to deploy affordable, low-carbon hydrogen at scale that will help to deliver a more sustainable future for all.”
Reflecting on ERM's vision and progress, Tom Reichert, Group CEO at ERM, commented, “Six years ago, ERM had a vision to produce affordable low-carbon hydrogen from floating wind at scale to accelerate the transition to a net zero economy. We are excited to see this vision translate into reality with the UK's first offshore hydrogen production trials. We look forward to building on this momentum to help drive progress towards a low-carbon future.”
The data and insights gathered from these offshore trials will inform the design and deployment of full-scale Dolphyn units at multiple locations in the coming years, contributing further to the advancement of sustainable hydrogen production technologies.
