Shell and Eneco venture contracts Rosetti Marino for hydrogen production and storage platform off the Dutch coast

Italian fabricator and shipyard Rosetti Marino has won a contract from Dutch offshore wind farm developer CrossWind, a joint venture between Shell and Eneco, to build a green hydrogen production and storage plant within Hollandse Kust Noord offshore wind farm located some 18 km off the Dutch coast.

The contract covers engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) for the megawatt scale baseload power hub fully integrated into an offshore wind farm.

The baseload power hub has been developed to reduce the problem of the intermittent character of renewable energy production as the wind does not blow at all times, by storing energy and releasing it when demand exceeds the wind farm output.

It will convert excess wind energy to green hydrogen through an electrolyser and store it as green hydrogen, which can be converted to electricity when needed via a fuel cell. It will also include battery storage for shorter term power storage.

“It is the first platform of its kind in the world and the first that will produce offshore green hydrogen for renewable energy storage. Rosetti Marino hopes that solutions like this will have a significant follow-up and marks another important step towards diversification in favour of renewable energy and the circular economy,” said Oscar Guerra, CEO of the Ravenna-based company.

“The realisation of the baseload power hub with Rosetti Marino will not only showcase CrossWind’s commitment to innovation but also demonstrate our dedication to foster better energy solutions,” added Maria Kalogera, innovations manager at CrossWind, which is 80% owned by Shell.

Activities are due to start immediately and are set complete by the end of 2025.