Grid Transmission Backbones | Electrons v Molecules?
News that Dogger Bank D green hydrogen element is not being pursued now comes after the announcement that the Creyke Beck offshore substation had been consented on 1 March.
This led partners Equinor and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) to state:
“With the confirmation of an onshore grid connection location in the East Riding of Yorkshire, the option to direct the wind energy produced by Dogger Bank D towards hydrogen production, as publicly consulted on in Autumn 2023, has been retired from the project.”
Moderating a finance forum around the launch of the holistic grid in the City back in 2022, several strategic scenarios were mapped out and discussed, coinciding with the publication of the holistic network design documentation.
Offshore Transmission Grid, City of London
It's not been an entirely smooth ride for the green hydrogen sector since then - with delays for Gigastack and Dolphyn with the latter belatedly entering the water for trials in the coming weeks.
So, the Dogger Bank D partners have chosen a much more orthodox way forwards with electrical transmission will constitute the route to market for the energy in the form of green electrons rather than conversion into the green molecular hydrogen option, consulted upon - but now parked.
The North Sea is home to myriad international stakeholders and in analysing the the German side. I was slightly surprised as far back as 2020 speaking at a Bremerhaven-based WAB seminar with their offshore sector to learn that they envisaged entirely green hydrogen offtake for the wind farms off the coast of Germany. This is a particularly innovative and bold vison but may possibly lead to difficulties when coming to the bankability and financial close of their major projects.
There are a number of global large scale hydrogen schemes attempting to resolve the power required for water splitting electrolysers in bypassing grid requirements in using a combination of in-house and third party renewable technologies. These may work in theory but have yet to provide commercial operational data.
In the longer run a hybrid solution possibly involving strategically placed energy-islands may emerge as the delays are put right. Such innovations as these may avoid the electron v molecular debate and transform it into electrons and molecules don't think you'll see the hydrogen versus electrical transmission. The sheer scale will mean the electrical transmission system alone cannot provide the route to market for the decarbonisation of European industry.
There's a place for both going forwards. SSE have perhaps gone for a caution they know that the grid offer is a bankable one, and sticking with technologies that are tried and tested, especially on the east coast of England. Stay informed with the over 4000- strong expert forum:
