Italian contracting giant Saipem has launched SUISO, a technological solution for the offshore production of green hydrogen and the conversion of oil and gas facilities.

The technology, which combines floating wind, floating solar and marine energy, will initially be deployed at the proposed Adriatic Green Network of Energy Sources, better known as the Agnes project, in the Adriatic Sea.

SUISO combines various renewable energy sources such as floating wind, floating solar and marine energy in a single system. The aim is to power, together or individually, electrolysers installed on existing offshore platforms to produce green hydrogen.

Saipem said that the technology “responds to the growing demand for green hydrogen production” and, at the same time, allows the conversion of oil and gas offshore facilities that have now reached the end of their life cycle.

"The oxygen resulting from the process can be used in various applications such as aquaculture or seaweed production," it added.

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SUISO will be deployed on the Agnes project, the offshore energy hub that Saipem, in partnership with QINT'X, intends to build offshore the Adriatic coast of Ravenna, Italy.

Milan-listed Saipem on Monday added that SUISO underlines its commitment to support its clients in the energy transition. The trademark has been registered with the European Union Intellectual Property Office. “The SUISO brand is an example of Saipem's ability to find innovative and sustainable solutions to lead its clients in the energy transition. The solution is adaptable to the changing characteristics of the marine sites and to the different production needs,” said Saipem chief executive Francesco Caio.

“The know-how gained in the design and execution of infrastructures and technologically advanced plants allows Saipem to cover the green hydrogen production value chain and to be a strategic partner in the path towards a net zero economy.”

The Agnes project offers novel integrated decarbonisation solutions, with opportunities extending to the provision of lower carbon alternatives to decommissioning oil and gas platforms.

It is the first project in the world in which hydrogen and photovoltaics are combined and is also one of the largest wind farms in the Mediterranean.

The project involves the construction of two offshore wind farms for a total of 65 turbines on fixed foundations on the seabed in two different sites.

The two marine wind farms will be integrated with the construction of a 100 megawatt floating photovoltaic solar plant, approximately 10 nautical miles (about 18.5 kilometres) from the coast, through the modular technology owned by Moss Maritime, a Norwegian company controlled by Saipem and part of Saipem's XSIGHT division.

The Agnes project aims to produce green hydrogen by electrolysis of seawater using only the renewable energy produced by wind turbines and the floating photovoltaic system, thanks to 50MW of lithium storage.

"This is the largest offshore wind project in the Mediterranean Sea undergoing development. It will also be the first in which hydrogen and floating photovoltaics will be built on a major commercial scale, thanks to a unique integration of cutting-edge energy systems," Saipem said in an explanatory statement.

The whole energy hub will have a total power of 620MW.

Through XSIGHT, Saipem plans to launch similar projects in Sicily and Sardinia using floating foundations for wind turbines.

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