HYACINT | HYdrogen to Avoid Curtailment IN Turbine farms

Turning offshore wind curtailment into a hydrogen opportunity 

Offshore wind turbines are increasingly curtailed due to grid congestion, maintenance constraints and negative electricity prices. This phenomenon, growing across Europe, not only results in lost renewable energy, it can also accelerate structural fatigue in turbines. HYACINT explores how offshore or nearshore hydrogen production can turn surplus electricity into value. By converting curtailed energy into hydrogen, the project aims to reduce energy losses, support grid balancing and help extend turbine lifetime.
 

Target group

This project is primarily relevant for:

• Offshore wind farm Operators and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) providers in the North Sea
• Hydrogen offtakers and industrial users
• Electrolyzer manufacturers and technology providers
• Grid operators such as Elia

Context

Curtailment poses a dual challenge. First, repeated shutdown and restart cycles can negatively affect turbine lifetime. Second, valuable renewable energy is lost when turbines are switched off.

To maximise green energy capture and protect asset lifetime, flexible and economically viable energy offtake solutions are required. HYACINT evaluates electrolysis as a pathway to convert surplus electricity into hydrogen. Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier and can support multiple applications, from offshore operational use to seasonal storage and grid balancing.

A specific focus is placed on the Princess Elisabeth Zone and Princess Elisabeth Island. The project assesses how hydrogen can contribute to grid stability and lifetime optimisation of new offshore wind assets.
 

Objectives & results

The main objectives of the project are to: 

• Improve understanding of curtailment events and their frequency
• Quantify the economic and structural impact of curtailment on monopile turbines
• Define a viable hydrogen value chain linked to offshore wind
• Develop initial outlines for a future demonstrator project

Key results:

• Forecast models for future curtailment events
• Quantified impact of curtailment on turbine lifetime
• Economic valuation of lost energy and structural wear
• Conceptual designs for offshore hydrogen production
• Defined hydrogen offtake scenarios and business cases
   

Approach

The HYACINT project combines technical, economic and system-level analyses. The approach is structured in several steps:

• Analysis of curtailment data
  Quantification of energy losses and their structural implications for offshore installations.
• Lifetime consumption modelling
  Assessment of the impact of shutdown and restart cycles on monopile foundations.
• Hydrogen production scenario analysis
  Dimensioning of different hydrogen production options using electrolysis to valorise surplus electricity.
• Evaluation of use cases
  Assessment of different scenarios based on their technical feasibility, economic viability and potential integration into the energy system.

The scenarios studied include hydrogen use for offshore service vessels, grid balancing, seasonal energy storage and broader integration into the energy system.
 

Funding

• Funding agency: FOD economie
   

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