Deep Purple™ Pilot Opens in Kongsberg
The land-based Deep Purple™ pilot at TechnipFMC’s Norwegian headquarters in Kongsberg opened on January 12th. The Deep Purple™ concept aims to offer stable power to off-grid consumers, with hydrogen stored as a high-capacity battery and re-electrified.
– This day is about celebrating the journey, for we must learn not only to celebrate the final goal. But this is the beginning and the Deep Purple team has reason to be proud, said Luana Duffe, Executive Vice President, New Energy Ventures in TechnipFMC.
Energy Valley and the Deep Purple consortium were present at the opening of the pilot.
Preparing the system for large-scale commercial use
The Deep Purple consortium consists of Vattenfall, Repsol, Slåttland, NEL, UMOE Advanced Composites, ABB, DNV, SINTEF, University of South East Norway, Energy Valley, Ocean Hyway Cluster, GCE Ocean Technology and Innovation Norway.
The pilot project consortium designs, builds, and tests a physical, land-based pilot at TechnipFMC’s Norwegian headquarters in Kongsberg.
The pilot will include an electrolyzer, hydrogen storage, fuel cells, and energy control system as well as the development and testing of an advanced control and advisory system and a dynamic process simulator.
The pilot will allow the consortium partners to ensure energy efficiency and autonomous operation offshore and prepare the system for large-scale offshore commercial use.
A steppingstone in reaching net zero
Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier, which can help to tackle various critical energy challenges, and will be an important part of reaching net zero by 2050, according to IEA.
– More and more people in the government are beginning to realize that even if hydrogen alone is not the solution to the green shift, it is an essential building block. So here it is only to congratulate, said State Secretary Andreas Bjelland Eriksen (Ap) in the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.
State Secretary Andreas Bjelland Eriksen (Ap) in the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. Photo: TechnipFMC.
Delivering stable, renewable, and scalable energy in the ocean space
– This is hopefully a full-scale breakthrough in storing clean and renewable energy offshore. After the pilot here at Kongsberg, it will be incredibly interesting to follow the next project by testing the concept in salt water in the Hardangerfjord. The next step is to do this commercially, said regional director Nina Broch Mathisen in Innovation Norway, which has contributed significant financial funds to this project.
The Deep Purple concept builds on proven technologies to deliver stable, renewable, and scalable energy in the ocean space. The concept was founded in 2016 at The Research Council of Norway’s Idea Lab.
The aim is to offer stable power to off-grid consumers like offshore installations and remote islands, with hydrogen stored as a high-capacity battery and re-electrified.