Opportunity
With its transnational, integrated approach, the hub-and-spoke project is a step-change from existing offshore wind developments that are largely national and disjointed between energy sectors. NSWPH will integrate offshore and onshore hydrogen production capability and storage with wind and power transmission systems across the continent. The hub aims to provide long-term flexibility by delivering electricity at a time when it is not sufficiently produced by renewable energy.
Solution
We have been appointed by the consortium behind the programme to support the integration of renewable energy in northern Europe by addressing the main challenges to realising the hydrogen production hubs by the early 2030s and to support governments and policymakers in their decision-making. We will identify the design parameters most relevant for the optimisation of onshore and offshore systems, set design targets and deliver technology development strategies to enable the development of both the onshore and offshore power-to-gas facilities. So far, our team has developed conceptual designs, cost estimates and schedules for the different hydrogen production options to compare offshore and onshore solutions. They have also developed outline designs to realise the offshore options, with 3D visualisations produced to support discussions with different technology providers and suppliers.
Outcome
The NSWPH programme’s hub-and-spoke concept will link energy systems across north-west Europe into one well-planned and co-ordinated network, while connecting large amounts of offshore wind. The programme is organised in three phases:
- pre-feasibility – develop funnel of 10-20 alternative hub configurations
- feasibility – Select and prioritise based on fair comparison and feasibility the best 3 options
- pre- FEED (pre-front-end engineering and design) – develop preferred configuration based on detailed pre-FEED
A decision on the scope and location of the first hub-and-spoke project is expected in 2023.