Evaluation of New Opportunities for Marine Energy To Power the Blue Economy: Green Hydrogen and Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal

Abstract

This report examines the application of marine energy for two distinct research areas, green hydrogen and marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR). This evaluation considered the potential synergies between these sectors and marine energy, market maturity, barriers to adoption, policy enablers, and sustainability perspectives to help evaluate how marine energy could contribute to the power needs of these sectors as they grow. Through desk research and interviews with a diverse range of subject matter experts from academia, government, industry, venture capital, and nonprofits, these emergent sectors were identified as the most promising new opportunities for marine energy integration beyond those explored in the 2019 Powering the Blue Economy™ report.Green hydrogen, produced in a sustainable manner, is increasingly being recognized as a key player in the global energy paradigm shift. Marine energy, with its distinguishing features such as high power density and the possibility of colocation with green hydrogen at sea, represents a viable strategy for powering green hydrogen generation. Despite the launch of several trailblazing global projects demonstrating the viability of integrating marine energy into green hydrogen production, several impediments remain, including investment prospects, lengthy permitting timelines, and potential environmental/social disruption. To mitigate these risks, a multi-pronged approach that includes strong policy support, technological innovation, stakeholder engagement, and rigorous impact analysis is required.This report is available at no cost from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory at www.nrel.gov/publications.Recent upticks in marine energy-green hydrogen pilot projects signal growing interest, making it an appealing area for further investigation and support (Table 2).