Chinese offshore engineering firm CIMC Raffles has launched what it calls the world’s first semi-submersible wind-to-hydrogen production platform, which is due to be deployed in the South China Sea.
Equipped with a 1,000Nm³/h PEM electrolyser capable of producing 2.2 tonnes of hydrogen per day, three hydrogen storage systems, and remote monitoring, the platform has obtained China Classification Society classification and statutory maritime inspection.
Named Shenhai Hydrogen Energy No. 1, the platform uses motion-suppression technology to keep electrolysers running in “complex sea states,” alongside grid-connected and off-grid power supply modes.
It also features a disconnectable, multipoint mooring system designed for shallow waters and sea conditions with a 50-year return period.
Having completed onshore system commissioning, it will later be deployed in the South China Sea to test the performance of its electrolysis and hydrogen storage systems in marine conditions.
The company said it would support efforts to address offshore power consumption challenges, describing it as a “concrete step” in expanding clean marine energy.
Due to higher and more consistent wind speeds, proponents believe offshore production could boost capacity factors and reduce electricity costs, which can account for up to 70% of green hydrogen production costs.
However, critics note offshore hydrogen production remains costly and technically complex compared with expanding onshore grid capacity.
In Europe, a Dutch project recently produced its first green hydrogen volumes on an operational North Sea oil platform.
French producer Lhyfe also conducted a floating 1MW electrolyser linked to a floating wind turbine in 2023, with plans to feed data into a larger 10MW commercial initiative.
