SSE, Equinor scrap North Sea H2 production plan

UK utility SSE and Norwegian state controlled Equinor have scrapped their joint plan to power green hydrogen production using their offshore wind project Dogger Bank D in the North Sea, SSE said.

Dogger Bank D was announced as the fourth phase of the Dogger Bank wind farm project in February 2023.

The developers had been exploring two options for the roughly 2GW of wind power from Dogger Bank D — delivering it to the UK power grid in Lincolnshire, or a possible renewable hydrogen electrolysis facility in the Humber region.

But the option to make hydrogen has been "retired" by the companies after the project received confirmation of an onshore grid connection from the UK's Electricity System Operator (ESO). The wind farm will now connect to the national grid via a new 400kV substation, Birkhill Wood in East Yorkshire, as part of the transmission system operator National Grid's "Great Upgrade Project".

SSE and Equinor had awarded contracts for feasibility studies of a large-scale green hydrogen project in December to London based firms Genesis and H2GO Power. and German consulting firm Fichtner. "It could become one of the UK's largest green hydrogen projects," SSE said at the time.

SSE is developing at least two other smaller hydrogen projects in the UK, its 1,300 t/yr Gordonbush Hydrogen plant and its 35MW "Aldbrough Hydrogen Pathfinder", which would combine production, storage and power generation. These did not receive support in the UK's first hydrogen subsidy competition, but the company has indicated it may seek support in future rounds.

By Akansha Victor