Launchpad Leaders: Bringing Low-carbon Hydrogen Offshore with SeaStack

Latent Drive’s SeaStack is the world’s first commercial direct seawater-to-hydrogen electrolyser stack. Powered by renewable energy from offshore wind, the project aims to reduce costs and enable new opportunities for large-scale low-carbon hydrogen production.

Having recently secured funding through the South West Wales Net Zero Industry Launchpad, JOMEC students spoke with Anna Studley, Latent Drive’s Operations Manager to find out more about the project and what it can do for Wales.

What challenge is SeaStack designed to address?

SeaStack addresses a key barrier to scaling low-carbon hydrogen production including how and where it is produced.

At the moment, most hydrogen is produced on land, which creates limitations around grid capacity, infrastructure and electricity costs. Meanwhile, large amounts of renewable energy is being generated offshore by wind farms.

SeaStack explores how hydrogen production can be moved offshore, closer to the energy source. By directly coupling wind turbines with electrolysers, hydrogen can be produced at sea and transported to shore via pipelines. This approach reduces reliance on grid connections and enables more efficient use of renewable energy.

As part of the project, a containerised prototype system has been developed, allowing the technology to be tested onshore before progressing to offshore deployment.

What makes SeaStack different from conventional electrolysers, particularly for offshore use?

SeaStack is designed specifically for offshore hydrogen production, using seawater directly rather than relying on highly purified water.

Conventional electrolysers are built for land-based use and require highly purified water. This means that offshore projects need additional desalination and water treatment systems, increasing cost and complexity.

SeaStack removes that barrier through a proprietary two-stage seawater electrolysis process, enabling hydrogen to be produced directly from seawater. This significantly simplifies system design and improves suitability for offshore environments.

The system is also compact, modular, and robust, making it well suited for integration with offshore infrastructure such as wind turbines.

Why is moving hydrogen production offshore such an important step for scaling low-carbon hydrogen?

Scaling low-carbon hydrogen production requires better alignment between where renewable energy is generated and where it is used.

Offshore wind farms produce large amounts of clean energy but transporting that back to shore via subsea cables can be expensive and inefficient. By producing hydrogen offshore instead, that energy can be converted into a transportable fuel at source.

This approach reduces reliance on subsea transmission and grid connections, while also opening up new pathways for scaling hydrogen production in a cost-effective way.

What are the main challenges of producing hydrogen directly from seawater, and how are you addressing them?

Producing hydrogen directly from seawater presents several technical challenges, particularly around processing the sea water as traditionally it produces chlorine gas as a byproduct. SeaStack has been specifically designed to eliminate this problem.

Rather than adapting land-based systems, our approach is to design the electrolyser from the ground up for offshore conditions. This includes developing materials and processes that can operate efficiently with seawater while maintaining performance and durability.

What has Launchpad funding enabled you to do?

The Launchpad funding has enabled the first stage of marinisation for the SeaStack electrolyser. This involves preparing the system for offshore conditions by testing and validating it onshore, ensuring it can operate reliably in a marine environment. 

Without this support, moving from early-stage development to physical demonstration would have been significantly more challenging.

Although Latent Drive isn’t based in Wales, how do you see this project creating impact in the region?

By preparing for testing at the Marine Energy Test Area (META) in Pembrokeshire, the project contributes to South West Wales’ growing role in offshore and marine energy development. The technology also has the potential to support the decarbonisation of industry by enabling new sources of low-carbon hydrogen.

What are the next steps for SeaStack following this project?

The next phase is focused on testing and validation in real-world conditions. This project prepares us for deployment at META, where we can test SeaStack in real offshore conditions. Moving to physical trials is a critical step in demonstrating the technology’s performance and reliability.