World's largest offshore wind farm could grow to power 'biggest UK green hydrogen plant'
Renewable H2 production one option for fourth phase of giant Dogger Bank project under consideration by SSE and Equinor
The world’s largest offshore wind farm entering operation — Dogger Bank off the northeast coast of England — could add more than a gigawatt of extra power devoted to powering the UK’s largest green hydrogen plant, said its co-developers.
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Norwegian oil giant Equinor and UK utility SSE, which are jointly leading development of the giant North Sea project, have started early scoping work for a possible Dogger Bank D that would add 1.3GW of fixed-bottom turbines to the 3.6GW currently under way across the wind farm’s first three phases.
Together with Vargronn, their Norwegian co-investor, Equinor and SSE are already advancing the 3.6GW Dogger Bank’s £11bn ($13.2bn) first three phases that are by 2026 set to make up the world’s largest operating offshore wind project.
The first wave of Dogger Bank won a contract-for-difference power deal in the UK’s 2019 round of renewable energy auctions, but since then green hydrogen production has raced up the agenda as a potential offtake option for electricity from offshore wind.
Development of Dogger Bank D, which would be sited in the eastern part of the Dogger Bank C area, is also subject to agreement from UK seabed landlord The Crown Estate. The partners expect to deliver a first report on the plans in March.