UK-based engineering firm Aquaterra Energy has signed an agreement with offshore wind turbine supplier Seawind to co-develop a 3.2GW floating offshore wind project, named Hymed, with 1GW of green hydrogen production capacity. The developers claim it will be the world’s largest such project.

Hymed will be based offshore Italy and is in its first phase of permitting. The developers plan to start the project up by 2027 and transport hydrogen onshore via pipeline or by ship to global markets.

The project partners also aim to develop a second project, dubbed Icarus, in southwestern Greece, which will have 300MW of exclusive hydrogen production capacity.

2027 – Planned startup date

“With governments and business recognising the value of hydrogen as a vital resource for net-zero initiatives, energy security and guarding against volatile natural gas prices, we are hugely excited by the opportunities for production presented by this new partnership,” says Anne Haase, renewables director at Aquaterra.

“Seawind’s fully integrated and scalable floating wind model offers a clear path to cost-effective industrial scale production—and we are delighted to be able to provide the final piece of the production puzzle for it.”

The Mediterranean is of growing interest to green hydrogen developers. The Green Hysland project on the island of Mallorca, which aims to produce up to 300t/yr once offtake agreements are in place, was inaugurated this year.

“We consider the Mediterranean to be the best area where significant offshore wind projects can be developed and cross-border synergies can be made, serving Europe and Mena,” says Seawind CEO Dimitrios Moudouris.

He adds that Aquaterra has “displayed its expertise and commitment to green hydrogen through existing projects”. Aquaterra has previously partnered with French developer Lhyfe and contractor Borr Drilling on a concept for a green hydrogen production system on a converted jack-up rig.

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Author: Polly Martin