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Synthetic Fuels from Offshore Wind Park
https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2025_052_synthetic-fuels-from-offshore-wind-park.phpPress Release 052/2025
Synthetic Fuels from Offshore Wind Park
The First Offshore Production Plant for Synthetic Fuels Was Opened Under the H₂Mare Hydrogen Lead Project Funded by the German Federal Government
Floating platform with modular container facility for the offshore production of synthetic fuels from wind energy, seawater, and ambient air. (Photo: DLR)
Off-grid, modular, and seaworthy: KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) and partners intend to produce synthetic fuels on a floating platform using wind energy, seawater, and ambient air. For this purpose, the “PtX-Wind” project was launched under the lead project. A corresponding modular plant was installed on a barge and lies operational at anchor in Bremerhaven. Later this year, it will start producing synthetic fuel directly on the sea just off the Helgoland Island.
The first floating test platform demonstrating a complete power-to-X process chain for synthetic fuels was opened on July 08, 2025 under the H₂Mare hydrogen lead project funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space. “We wanted to test the entire planning process including approval, construction, and real-world operation of the plant to learn how to draw up concepts for building larger production platforms,” said Professor Roland Dittmeyer, Head of KIT’s Institute for Micro Process Engineering and coordinator of the “PtX-Wind” H₂Mare project during the opening ceremony in Bremerhaven.
Fuels from Wind, Water, and Air
For the production of synthetic fuels, the novel modular plant will use wind energy, seawater, and ambient air. Accordingly, the H₂Mare test platform is equipped with a direct air capture plant (DAC) for recovering CO₂ from the ambient air, a facility for the desalination of seawater, and a high-temperature electrolysis unit that generates hydrogenous synthesis gas. The latter will be used as source material for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis that converts green hydrogen and CO₂ into fuels. Thanks to the modular structure of the system, the entire process chain can be operated off-grid in a dynamic way, adapted to the availability of renewable electricity from offshore wind energy.
Offshore Operation Starting in July 2025
The researchers will start test operation of the platform in July 2025, at first in the port of Bremerhaven and then continuing on the open sea off Helgoland. Besides testing the flexible operation of the entire process chain, they also intend to investigate the maritime impacts and material properties as well as the regulatory conditions in actual operation without connection to the power grid. The insights gained here will be incorporated into the development of larger production platforms that can be coupled with wind turbines.
…
Synthetic Fuels from Offshore Wind Park
The First Offshore Production Plant for Synthetic Fuels Was Opened Under the H₂Mare Hydrogen Lead Project Funded by the German Federal Government
Floating platform with modular container facility for the offshore production of synthetic fuels from wind energy, seawater, and ambient air. (Photo: DLR)
Off-grid, modular, and seaworthy: KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) and partners intend to produce synthetic fuels on a floating platform using wind energy, seawater, and ambient air. For this purpose, the “PtX-Wind” project was launched under the lead project. A corresponding modular plant was installed on a barge and lies operational at anchor in Bremerhaven. Later this year, it will start producing synthetic fuel directly on the sea just off the Helgoland Island.
The first floating test platform demonstrating a complete power-to-X process chain for synthetic fuels was opened on July 08, 2025 under the H₂Mare hydrogen lead project funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space. “We wanted to test the entire planning process including approval, construction, and real-world operation of the plant to learn how to draw up concepts for building larger production platforms,” said Professor Roland Dittmeyer, Head of KIT’s Institute for Micro Process Engineering and coordinator of the “PtX-Wind” H₂Mare project during the opening ceremony in Bremerhaven.
Fuels from Wind, Water, and Air
For the production of synthetic fuels, the novel modular plant will use wind energy, seawater, and ambient air. Accordingly, the H₂Mare test platform is equipped with a direct air capture plant (DAC) for recovering CO₂ from the ambient air, a facility for the desalination of seawater, and a high-temperature electrolysis unit that generates hydrogenous synthesis gas. The latter will be used as source material for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis that converts green hydrogen and CO₂ into fuels. Thanks to the modular structure of the system, the entire process chain can be operated off-grid in a dynamic way, adapted to the availability of renewable electricity from offshore wind energy.
Offshore Operation Starting in July 2025
The researchers will start test operation of the platform in July 2025, at first in the port of Bremerhaven and then continuing on the open sea off Helgoland. Besides testing the flexible operation of the entire process chain, they also intend to investigate the maritime impacts and material properties as well as the regulatory conditions in actual operation without connection to the power grid. The insights gained here will be incorporated into the development of larger production platforms that can be coupled with wind turbines.
…
https://www.wasserstoff-leitprojekte.de/projects/h2mare
H2MARE
How the H₂Mare project intends to produce hydrogen offshore
At sea, the conditions are ideal for generating renewable electricity. The direct production of green hydrogen from offshore wind power facilities that are not connected to the grid can significantly reduce costs compared to onshore production. The H₂Mare flagship project therefore explores the offshore production of green hydrogen and other power-to-X products.
…
How the H₂Mare project intends to produce hydrogen offshore
At sea, the conditions are ideal for generating renewable electricity. The direct production of green hydrogen from offshore wind power facilities that are not connected to the grid can significantly reduce costs compared to onshore production. The H₂Mare flagship project therefore explores the offshore production of green hydrogen and other power-to-X products.
…