Dogger Bank D is a 50-50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor
Dogger Bank D is a 50-50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor
The option to direct wind energy produced by Dogger Bank D towards hydrogen production has been dropped.
The move follows confirmation of an onshore grid connection in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
Dogger Bank D – the fourth phase of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the North Sea, billed as the world’s largest offshore wind farm – will now connect into Birkhill Wood, a proposed new 400kV substation, which will be built as part of National Grid’s Great Grid Upgrade.
Source: Dogger Bank D
Dogger Bank D aims to generate up to around 2GW of renewable electricity from an offshore wind farm in support of the decarbonisation of the UK energy system. The project is being developed by a 50-50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor.
Plans to produce green hydrogen at a dedicated onshore facility had been explored in parallel with the electrical transmission opportunity.
The decision, while a boost for electrification, raises further questions about the pace of hydrogen’s roll-out. The UK Government wants 10GW of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity available by 2030.
The deep decarbonisation of industrial and electricity sectors will require the timely development of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), in parallel with the development of hydrogen technologies.
The offshore wind industry remains under its own pressures, with the cost of components increasing by 40%. The Renewable Energy Auction last September resulted in no bids for offshore wind, presenting challenges to the 50GW offshore wind installation target by 2030 being reached.
Scotland has just under 2 GW of operational offshore wind projects and a further 3.82 GW of projects consented or under construction.
The Scottish CCUS Cluster encompasses industrial, power, low-carbon hydrogen production and Direct Air Capture (DAC) projects, and CO2 transport network required for permanent storage of captured emissions.
Last March Lhyfe and Centrica agreed to jointly develop offshore renewable green hydrogen in the UK, under a memorandum of understanding (MoU), collaborating on a pilot site in the southern North Sea.
