Offshore Wind Hubs Feasible in the N. Sea

The international consortium partners of the North Sea Wind Power Hub (NSWPH) has found that the proposed Hub-and-Spoke concept is technically feasible. A gradual roll-out of 10 to 15 gigawatts hubs is the next logical step towards a large offshore wind build-out, it said.

Over the past months, NSWPH has been analyzing the possibility and conditions required to build one or several wind power hubs in the North Sea.

The consortium has conducted a wide range of studies, investigated a number of different scenarios and conducted intense engagements with policy makers, leading offshore wind farm developers and Non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The consortium's aim is to facilitate the large scale roll-out and integration of far North Sea offshore wind against least cost to society while maintaining security of supply, as part of the energy transition to a low-carbon energy system.

The vision is based on an internationally coordinated roll-out of Hub-and-Spoke projects, combining wind power connection, coupling of energy markets through interconnection and smart integration in the onshore energy grid, including power to gas. This approach has major advantages both economically and in terms of environmental policy.

The consortium's investigations serve answers to meet Paris Agreement climate goals on time and respond to current energy and climate agreements e.g. in The Netherlands and Denmark as well as to German fade out of nuclear power and coal exit.

A first Hub-and-Spoke project will likely be electrically connected to shore and with additional power-to-gas to provide energy system flexibility and could be operational in the 2030s, its findings said.

As the North Sea is hosting a large potential for offshore wind power, the implementation of 180 gigawatts offshore wind can be achieved by 2045 by the consortium’s approach, it said.

NSWPH consortium supports the goals of the Paris Agreement and the associated greenhouse gas reduction commitments by the EU and the countries around the North Sea.