Strohm, the world's first and leading manufacturer of fully bonded, Thermoplastic Composite Pipe (TCP), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with French renewable hydrogen supplier Lhyfe.
The collaboration will see the two companies working together to develop solutions for hydrogen transport, both onshore and offshore, with initial plans to launch the first floating wind turbine to be integrated with a hydrogen production system.
Lhyfe’s Nerehyd solution, a concept worth approximately €60 million, including research, development, and the production of the first prototype in 2025, incorporates a hydrogen production facility on the floating platform, connected to a wind turbine. The concept is adapted to on-grid or off-grid applications, from single wind turbines to large-scale wind farm developments.
Strohm is the market leader in the design and manufacturing of TCP, which is particularly suited for carrying hydrogen offshore and subsea. Produced at its plant in The Netherlands, the corrosion-resistant technology does not fatigue or suffer from issues associated with using steel pipe for hydrogen, such as embrittlement. Manufactured in long spoolable lengths and flexible in nature, the pipe can be pulled directly into the wind turbine generator, quickly and cost effectively building an offshore wind farm infrastructure.
Lhyfe and Strohm recognize the value of collaborating in the offshore wind-to-hydrogen space, where superior characteristics of TCP, combined with optimized topside components such as electrolyzers, to deliver a safe, high-quality, and dependable hydrogen transfer solution. The flexibility of TCP also facilitates finding the optimal configuration for operators and integrators in the growing offshore renewable hydrogen production industry.
Maritn van Onna, Strohm CEO
Strohm CEO Martin van Onna said: “We are very excited to announce this new partnership. We anticipate an increase in both size and scale of renewable projects in the next decade, and this collaboration will perfectly position our companies to support this.
“We share the same vision that renewable hydrogen will be an important part of the transition from fossil fuel. Lhyfe’s extensive renewable hydrogen expertise coupled with Strohm’s superior pipeline solutions will enable the rapid acceleration of safe offshore wind-to-hydrogen projects by providing more reliable and cost-effective solutions.”
Marc Rousselet, director offshore deployment of Lhyfe added: “Lhyfe is looking at securing the entire value chain, from the production of the renewable hydrogen offshore to the supply at end-customers’ sites. This includes controlling the transport of the hydrogen from the offshore production asset to shore.
“Strohm has qualified TCP flexible risers and flowlines, with pressures up to 700 bar at various internal diameters and will add 100% pure hydrogen to its DNV qualification by the end of the year, far ahead of other technologies. The TCP manufacturer has developed strong collaborations with companies installing such equipment offshore in a safe and efficient manner. Lhyfe has demonstrated the market exists and it has a high potential for growth and, with this partnership with Strohm, we aim to access a wide range of ambitious projects around the world.”
Lhyfe is pioneering the industrial production of hydrogen from renewable energy. In 2021, the company marked a world first with the commissioning of a production facility using electricity sourced directly from a nearby wind farm and currently has 93 projects in its pipeline across 11 countries.
