THyPSO
Tidal Hydrogen Production Storage and Offtake
The patented (Pending) THyPSO device is an innovative and novel concept redefining the way tides are harnessed and unlocking doors for lower cost, more reliable and significantly lower risk tidal energy projects through the production of Hydrogen. In doing so the THyPSO expands the horizons for tidal energy to contribute to the wider global decarbonisation of energy systems across the globe.
On the face of it THyPSO presents a floating platform housing multiple conventional tidal turbines which convert the energy dense tidal flows into electrical energy. It is at this point THyPSO breaks convention as power is directed to a hydrogen production unit integrated into the hull of the platform to convert and store the unlimited supply of surrounding seawater into the energy dense, and versatile commodity that is Hydrogen.
THyPSO has capacity to hold up to two weeks’ worth of hydrogen production in pressurised storage tanks. Offtake is scheduled autonomously by remote communications and discharge occurs within a single slack tide. A simple procedure sees an offtake vessel moor down-stream of the device, connect to a pressurised delivery hose and disconnects with a useable fuel or tradeable commodity.
Offtake vessel is agnostic and adaptable to local value chains or requirement, envisioned to be small workboat or landing craft (as shown below) at demonstration scale, larger scale could see it deliver Hydrogen to a multitude of vessel from ferries, cargo vessels, bulk carriers and cruise ships.
Challenges THyPSO Tackles
THyPSO combines the independent advantages of Tidal and Hydrogen technologies to mutually conquer the technical and financial barriers faced by each technology alone; and to such extent has been patented to protect this advantage.
Requiring no grid connection, the THyPSO can be deployed rapidly at sites that would otherwise be unfeasible, enabling access to highly energetic resources previously unexplored. Additionally, THyPSO is not constrained by any external factors such as grid over capacity, ensuring that all production is utilised to produce a sellable commodity.
THyPSO eliminates necessity for expensive and high risk subsea electrical infrastructure thereby creating substantial savings on OPEX and CAPEX as well as easing installation, Operations & Maintenance and decommissioning procedures. The associated cost of subsea electrical architecture represents a significant proportion of offshore energy costs. These costs can be 40-60% of the overall project. It is well known that these subsea cables and connectors are the major source of failure and downtime, accounting for 80% of the overall cost of insurance claims in the offshore energy sector.
Consenting, installation, and decommissioning are other areas where substantial time and costs can be saved. The autonomous nature of the generating platform makes investment easier as with single, compact and recoverable asset, which can be easily relocated to new locations as required.
THyPSO Market Opportunity
Roughly 70 million tonnes of Hydrogen are produced annually representing a market worth over £100 billion. Hydrogen is utilised for a wide range of current industrial processes from ammonia, methanol and metals production and refinery of oil. Currently 95% of this demand is met by non-green sources resulting in around 830 million tonnes of CO2 a year; equivalent to the emissions of the UK and Indonesia combined.
The production and use of Hydrogen is an ever-growing sector of interest and has been highlighted by nations across the globe as instrumental to forming a zero-carbon economy. Additionally, with its high energy density Hydrogen has been marked as a clean alternative and essential fuel to contribute to the decarbonisation of both the heating and transport sectors which, will only see this demand rise exponentially in the coming years.
The THyPSO project will demonstrate streamlined implementation of a tidal energy projects and low cost Hydrogen production with a view to upscaling and rolling out larger projects across Europe and the rest of the world in the coming years in line with the ever-growing demand for green sourced hydrogen.
