Identification of candidate sites for an offshore green hydrogen production plant concept with integrated FLASC energy storage in Malta’s exclusive economic zone

Abstract

The integration of Hydrogen (H2) production systems with offshore renewable energy (RE) generation could create opportunities for future decarbonisation of the maritime sector. However, the intermittency of wind and other offshore renewables presents several challenges with respect to power generation and electrolyser shutdowns and start-ups. In such situations, it could be advantageous to integrate energy storage systems (ESS) to ensure, as far as possible, the uninterrupted operation of stand-alone offshore systems by balancing the renewable electrical power surpluses with the deficits, or shortfalls. The Floating Liquid Piston Accumulator using Seawater under Compression (FLASC) technology, a patented Hydro Pneumatic Energy Storage (HPES) system specifically designed and developed at the University of Malta for marine deployment, was the ESS of choice for integration into an offshore green hydrogen production plant. This research report is related to the HydroGenEration (“Hydro-pneumatic Energy Storage for Offshore Green Hydrogen Generation) project that investigates the feasibility of using the FLASC storage technology for hydrogen production subject to Mediterranean wind conditions. Apart from the technical feasibility, a necessary requisite for a stand-alone, offshore hydrogen production plant is the identification of suitable offshore sites and of potential end-users, such as maritime sector operators as consumers of the H2 fuel. Project HydroGenEration explores potential deep-water sites in the central Mediterranean basin, and specifically in proximity of the Maltese Archipelago, as a basis for more representative numerical modelling of the technology concept. A high-level candidate site identification exercise was therefore conducted. The zones identified as potential candidate sites for the HydroGenEration project concept were predominantly within the areas declared in the more recently launched 2023 document: “National Policy for the Deployment of Offshore Renewable Energy - A Draft for Public Consultation”, defining the future role for offshore renewables in Malta’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).