Innovative Offshore Production of Synthetic Fuels on a Floating Platform
Key Ideas
  • A floating platform in Bremerhaven, Germany, will produce synthetic fuels using wind energy, seawater, and ambient air, demonstrating a complete power-to-X process chain.
  • The modular plant, part of the H2Mare project, features a high-temperature electrolysis unit for hydrogenous synthesis gas used in fuel production.
  • The off-grid platform is designed for dynamic operation, adapting to renewable electricity availability, and will begin offshore operations near Helgoland Island in July 2025.
  • The project aims to explore various Power-to-X synthesis methods, including the production of liquid methane, methanol, and ammonia, contributing to the national hydrogen strategy.
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and its partners are working on a groundbreaking project called 'PtX-Wind' under the H2Mare lead project to produce synthetic fuels on a floating platform using wind energy, seawater, and ambient air. The modular plant, set up on a barge in Bremerhaven, will soon start producing synthetic fuel directly on the sea near Helgoland Island. The platform features a direct air capture plant for CO2 recovery, a seawater desalination facility, and a high-temperature electrolysis unit to generate hydrogenous synthesis gas that will be used in fuel production. The system's modular structure allows for off-grid operation, dynamically adjusting to the availability of offshore wind energy. Test operations will begin in July 2025, assessing the flexible operation, maritime impacts, material properties, and regulatory conditions. The project also aims to explore alternative Power-to-X synthesis methods like producing liquid methane, methanol, and ammonia. H2Mare, focusing on green hydrogen and Power-to-X products from wind energy, contributes to Germany's hydrogen strategy, with the PtX-Wind project led by KIT in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center and TU Berlin.
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