Lessons Learned from Large Scale Hydrogen Production Project

In August 2022 Shell started construction of Holland Hydrogen I (HH I), a 200 MW electrolyser plant in the port of Rotterdam’s industrial zone on Maasvlakte II, in the Netherlands. HH I will produce up to 60,000 kg of renewable hydrogen per day. The development and demonstration of a safe layout and plant design had been challenging due to ambitious HH I project premises, many technical novelties, common uncertainties in hydrogen leak effect prediction, a lack of large-scale water electrolyzer operating history and limited standardization in this industry sector. This paper provides an industry perspective of the major challenges in commercial electrolyzer plant HSSE risk assessment and risk mitigation work processes required to develop and demonstrate a safe design and it describes lessons learned in this area during the HH I project. Furthermore, the paper lists major common gaps in relevant knowledge, engineering tools, standards and OEM deliverables that need closure to enable future commercial electrolyzer plant projects to develop an economically viable and plant design and layout more efficiently and cost-effectively.