The companies affiliated with the AYOP network operate in various areas within the offshore energy sector. There’s a strong shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Think not only of wind energy, but also of hydrogen, offshore solar farms, and alternatives like wave and tidal energy.

Offshore Oil & Gas

The North Sea holds Europe’s largest oil and natural gas reserves. The Netherlands has approximately 160 existing oil and gas platforms in the North Sea. Our global energy needs are increasing; a demand that cannot be met solely by renewable energy. During the transition period, oil and gas production will remain necessary, and Dutch players can provide the best sustainable solutions worldwide.

The global tensions have not only significantly increased oil and gas prices but also reinforced our need for energy independence. As a result, investments in this market are increasing, and new drilling is being started. Existing platforms will also remain operational longer where possible.

Due to the transition to sustainable energy and the approaching end of the economic lifespan of existing oil and gas platforms, significant investments will be made in the coming years in the modification and electrification of existing platforms and the decommissioning of old platforms.

Offshore Wind

European and Dutch ambitions for offshore wind are high. In the Netherlands, all wind turbines in the North Sea are expected to generate a combined output of 21 gigawatts by 2030. This is expected to grow to 50 gigawatts by 2040 and 72 gigawatts by 2050. To put this into perspective, the currently operational wind farms in the North Sea generate a combined output of approximately 4.7 gigawatts.

A step in the right direction will be taken in the near future with the construction of projects such as IJmuiden Ver, Hollandse Kust Noord, and Hollandse Kust West.

The province of North Holland is geographically closest to the new wind farms planned for construction in the North Sea by 2030, making it a unique and favorable base for all activities.

Within the AYOP network, we are also exploring the possibilities of decommissioning wind farms that have reached the end of their lifespan. This topic will become increasingly important in the coming years.

Hydrogen

Significant developments are underway in the field of hydrogen: a sustainable, CO2-free replacement for natural gas. Hydrogen gas (H2) is released during the splitting of water or the decomposition of hydrocarbons such as methane. Hydrogen itself is therefore not an energy source, but an energy carrier; energy can be extracted from it. This can be achieved, for example, through electrolysis, which splits water into oxygen and hydrogen gas using (green) electricity. This video from Remeha provides a good explanation of how hydrogen gas works.

Hydrogen can replace natural gas for heating existing buildings. A major advantage is that the existing natural gas network can be adapted for hydrogen distribution with limited modifications. Existing gas platforms can also be used to produce green hydrogen at sea. The power to convert seawater into hydrogen comes from offshore wind farms.

The first pilot project for the production of green hydrogen on an existing gas platform already began in 2018. The PosHYdon project on the Q13a platform is the world’s first green offshore hydrogen pilot project. Work is also underway on a national hydrogen network, and terminals in the Port of Amsterdam are preparing for large-scale hydrogen imports via ships.

Alternative offshore energy

 

Besides wind energy, fossil fuels, and the development of hydrogen production at sea, there are various alternative forms of offshore energy generation. These include offshore solar farms or wave and tidal energy.

For example, companies like SolarDuck are working on offshore solar farms. This company is currently running the Merganser demonstration project at the NSF Offshore Test Site. Their technology, consisting of floating triangular platforms that can form “solar panel islands,” enables large-scale solar energy generation at sea. The platforms are mounted on floats, preventing waves from reaching the solar panels and electrical systems.

AYOP member Symphony Wave Power focuses on wave energy. This company develops, manufactures, and operates energy systems that generate electricity from the waves of the sea and oceans. The electricity is generated by the internal pressure variation within a wave.

There is also extensive experimentation with other alternative offshore technologies, such as tidal energy and Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC).

Ports

North Holland is home to three major ports: Port of Amsterdam, Port of Den Helder, and IJmuiden Seaport. These ports have a long history and are crucial to the offshore energy sector in the North Sea. It is therefore only natural that the ports, regions, and the Province of North Holland have joined forces to establish North Holland as the Offshore Energy Hub of the Netherlands.

This collaboration offers the opportunity to play a major role in the energy transition – a development that presents many opportunities and challenges. The offshore energy market is growing faster than the capacity of the individual ports in the Netherlands. Collaboration is essential to continue meeting the energy demand of the future and to attract and retain companies and employees.

Together, the ports and regions are focused on creating added value for customers and promoting shared interests as part of the overarching Offshore Energy Hub.

Want to learn more? Please contact us at [email protected].