The project marks a significant milestone in the fight to reoxygenate the oceans. Developed by a tripartite collaboration formed by Lhyfe, Flexens and the Department of Ecology, Environment, and Plant Sciences (DEEP) at Stockholm University, each partner contributes their experience to advance it.
Flexens is a leader in the development of hydrogen projects with a strong regional focus, while Lhyfe is a global front-runner in the onshore and offshore production of green and renewable hydrogen for mobility and industry, whose founding ambition is to reoxygenate the oceans through its offshore activities.
The Department of Ecology, Environment, and Plant Sciences (DEEP) at Stockholm University has expertise in marine ecology monitoring and a focus on both fundamental and applied Baltic Sea research.
BOxHy stands at the forefront of efforts to address the critical issue of anoxia in the Baltic Sea, a condition characterised by a complete absence of oxygen that threatens marine life and ecosystem health.
All around the world, the oceans have been losing oxygen since the 1950s. The number of coastal sites with oxygen concentrations too low to support marine life has risen from 10 in 1960 to over 900 in 2018 . This loss is directly linked to human activity – namely, water pollution and, increasingly, global warming. These changes in oxygen concentrations have a destructive impact on the ocean, its fauna and flora, but they also affect us humans, because this phenomenon has an impact on the millions of jobs associated with coastal waters, and on the protein supply of more than 3 billion people.
By adapting existing technologies to oxygenate the sea, the project aims to restore aquatic vitality and explore the potential for sector coupling with green hydrogen production, offering a sustainable model for environmental restoration and economic development.
The project's main objective is to contribute to tackling the problem of 'anoxia' (the complete lack of oxygen in the marine environment) in the Baltic Sea by injecting oxygen into the sea via offshore hydrogen production using water electrolysis, an adapted and existing technology.
The project began in October 2023, coordinated by Flexens and is supported by the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) Fund. BOxHy is on a determined path to evaluate suitable coastal locations for conducting a pilot study of reoxygenation of marine ecosystems through the oxygen co-produced during this water electrolysis, setting a precedent for innovative solutions in marine conservation and green energy integration.
BOxHy is endorsed under the UN Ocean Decade, Aligns with Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 Ocean Action
The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development aims to support efforts to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health and gather ocean stakeholders worldwide behind a common framework that ensures ocean science can fully support countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Individual projects are typically attached to endorsed Decade programmes within the Ocean Decade Implementation Plan. BOxHy project will be connected to the Global Ocean Oxygen Decade (GOOD).
“Receiving the UN Ocean Decade endorsement is a monumental achievement for BoxHy” said Consortium coordinator Szilvia Haide, from Flexens. “It validates our commitment to sustainable ocean governance and propels us to foster global collaboration and innovation for the ocean's health. The endorsement is an excellent opportunity to highlight the project's significance and alignment with the United Nations' goals for sustainable ocean management and to invite the scientific, institutional and industrial spheres to the speed up research and implement solutions regarding the need to reoxygenate the ocean.”
With the UN Decade endorsement, BOxHy is poised to grow its stakeholder engagement through active discussions within the Ocean Decade Network and collaboration with other Decade partners. Reaching the long-term target of mitigating anoxia on a Baltic-sea-wide scale requires international collaboration amongst the scientific community, energy sector, policymakers, citizens, investors and more. The Baltic Sea Pilot for Pure Oxygen Injection (BOxIn) will be implemented in the project's next phase.
“The ocean deserves all our combined efforts” added Consortium member Matthieu Guesné, from Lhyfe. “By creating this Ocean Decade, the United Nations has helped to put the spotlight on this major issue. We are proud that it has endorsed our BOxHy project in this framework. At the same time, we are continuing our work to make offshore hydrogen production a reality by 2026.”
For additional information:
Stockholm University Department of Ecology, Environment, and Plant Sciences (DEEP)
