Norwegian energy firm Equinor and its UK partner SSE Renewables have started early scoping work to explore options for developing a fourth phase, Dogger Bank D, of what will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
Equinor and SSE Renewables each own 50% of the proposed Dogger Bank D development.
The Dogger Bank D proposal would require a new development consent order to progress into construction and could add an additional 1.32 GW in fixed-bottom offshore wind capacity to the 3.6 GW already under construction with phases A, B and C of the project.
Dogger Bank D would be located in the eastern zone of the Dogger Bank C lease area, more than doubling the utilization of existing acreage. The project’s progression remains subject to agreement with The Crown Estate, Equinor said.
The developers said they would release an initial scoping report in late March outlining ongoing work to explore the technical feasibility of deploying latest-available technology to bolster the UK’s renewable energy capacity. There are two options being explored for the energy generated by the offshore windfarm: a grid connection and/or green hydrogen production.
The first would see power from Dogger Bank D connecting to a grid connection in Lincolnshire, where National Grid is installing new network infrastructure in response to the UK Government’s ambitions to generate 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030.
The second option being considered by the developers is the use of electricity produced by offshore wind to generate green hydrogen at a dedicated electrolysis facility in the Humber region. The facility, if developed, could become the UK’s largest green hydrogen project and, subject to supportive Government policy and supply chain alignment, could contribute to the UK Government’s green hydrogen ambitions, Equinor said.