Advances in offshore wind-power coupled seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production: mode selection, system innovation, and materials design

Abstract

Offshore wind power driving seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production is one of the key pathways toward large-scale green hydrogen generation. However, the mismatch between the fluctuating renewable energy supply and the electrolyzer load not only results in low wind power conversion efficiency but also causes damage to electrode and membrane materials, thereby severely affecting the stable operation of the electrolysis system. On the other hand, due to the complex composition of seawater, direct seawater electrolysis induces electrode corrosion, competing side reactions, and precipitate blockage, all of which present significant challenges to practical applications. Based on these issues, we provide a comprehensive review of the challenges and mitigation strategies of seawater electrolysis from the perspectives of offshore wind–electrolyzer coupling modes, seawater electrolysis technologies, and hydrogen storage methods. We first discuss the coupling patterns between offshore wind-power systems and electrolytic hydrogen production systems, followed by a systematic analysis of coupling strategies for different scenarios and conditions. Next, we address the bottlenecks in seawater electrolysis technologies and highlight the latest strategies for overcoming them. Effective design strategies for efficient and stable electrode and membrane materials, including hydrogen evolution catalysts, oxygen evolution catalysts, and electrolyzer membranes, are summarized in detail. Finally, we outline recent advances in mainstream hydrogen storage approaches, providing new insights into enabling the large-scale application of offshore wind coupled with seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production.