Synthetic fuel from the offshore wind farm
Grid-independent, modular and seaworthy: under the leadership of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and other project participants in the H2Mare project PtX-Wind want to produce synthetic fuels from wind energy, seawater and ambient air on a floating platform. A corresponding modular system has been installed on a barge and is ready for operation in Bremerhaven. It will produce synthetic fuel directly at sea off Helgoland for the first time this year.
On Tuesday (8 July 2025), the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space's hydrogen flagship project H2Mare opened the world's first floating test platform to demonstrate a complete power-to-X process chain for synthetic fuels. The entire planning process, from authorisation to construction and operation of the plant, is to be carried out once in reality in order to create concepts for the construction of larger production platforms.
Fuels from wind energy, seawater and ambient air
The innovative, modular plant can use wind energy, seawater and ambient air to produce synthetic fuels. Accordingly, the H2Mare test platform has its own direct air capture (DAC) system for extracting CO2 from the sea air, a seawater desalination plant and a high-temperature electrolysis system for producing synthesis gas. This consists of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and is required as a starting material for a variety of chemical syntheses. A unique feature of the test environment developed by DLR is that it allows the high-temperature electrolysis to be operated at up to 850°C and under pressures of 8 to 25 bar. This allows the direct coupling with the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis on board to be demonstrated at the same pressure level. The modular design enables dynamic, grid-independent operation of the entire process chain, adapted to the availability of renewable electricity from offshore wind power.
Offshore deployment from August 2025
The researchers will test the platform from July 2025, initially in the port of Bremerhaven and then on the open sea off Helgoland. One focus of the research is to operate the entire process chain dynamically, even in changing wind conditions. In addition, the maritime influences, such as swell, salt water and wind loads, on the systems are being analysed. The aim is to realise self-sufficient, safe operation at sea. The knowledge gained will serve as a basis for the development of larger production platforms that can be directly coupled to wind turbines.
About H2Mare and PtX-Wind
H2Mare is one of three hydrogen flagship projects of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The project focuses on research into the offshore production of green hydrogen and other power-to-X products from wind energy. With its research, H2Mare is contributing to the implementation of the National Hydrogen Strategy
In the H2Mare project PtX-Wind, DLR is working with project participants from science and industry to analyse the possibilities of producing hydrogen and its downstream products such as methane, ammonia or methanol. In particular, the synthesis of e-fuels is being researched on the test platform.
The test platform was developed jointly by the DLR Institute of Technical Thermodynamics and the Technical University of Berlin under the direction of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.