Offshore wind-to-hydrogen: the impact of intermittency on hydrogen production and transport

This is the author accepted manuscript.Green hydrogen has significant potential as an energy storage medium and as a clean energy carrier in many hard to decarbonize sectors. There is significant ongoing research on coupling offshore wind with hydrogen production via electrolysis. For large offshore wind farms, located further from shore, transporting energy onshore via hydrogen pipeline can be a more cost-effective solution in comparison to electrical alternatives. This research investigates how the intermittent nature of an offshore wind resource impacts the components of an offshore wind-to-hydrogen system. A variable supply of power from an intermittent offshore wind resource can impact electrolyser performance. Proton exchange membrane electrolysers are frequently identified as being the most suited to offshore hydrogen production, due to their wide operating range and fast starting speed. However, electroyser degradation will occur if no current is applied during no wind periods. Variable hydrogen production from an intermittent offshore wind resource can cause a fluctuating flow of hydrogen gas in the pipeline. The resulting pressure variations can cause pipeline fatigue and increase the likelihood of hydrogen embrittlement. A configuration using battery and hydrogen storage is proposed to mitigate these impacts, for hydrogen production on a centralized offshore platform from floating offshore windGavin and Doherty Geosolution

A multiplexed FBG based sensor platform for flow and temperature measurements in the Baltic Sea

In this paper a multiplexed multi-parameter marinized sensory array is described. This was deployed on the continental slope off the Keri Island marine observatory in the Gulf of Finland (Estonia). The sensor array is made up of 4 measurement stations which are connected in series. Across these measurement stations, a total of 16 temperature sensors, 4 attitude sensors (each consisting of 3 individual fiber sensors) and 16 flow sensors were successfully deployed. They were addressed over 1.1 km via 20 single-mode (SMF-28e) optical fibers contained in a single marine compliant ruggedized umbilical. The bio-inspired fiber optic flow sensors are designed to mimic the behavior of the superficial neuromasts naturally found as part of the lateral line sensory organ present in fish. The sensor is composed of optical fibers inscribed with Fiber Bragg Gratings glued together in a polymer matrix which are then encapsulated in a polyurethane shell. The sensors response has been tested in DC flows in a tow tank and have demonstrated the ability of measuring flow speed from 0.05 ms-1 to 2.5 ms-1. The main aim of the deployment was to demonstrate the capabilities of fiber sensor technology for long-term oceanographic applications. The measurement period described lasted over two months and the sensor system performed well in comparison with data was gathered from commercial instrumentation available.</p