Towards a comprehensive understanding and assessment of Offshore Energy Hubs with a hydrogen focus: An evolutionary perspective

Abstract

Climate change has necessitated the reduction of CO2 emissions, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors. Offshore Energy Hubs (OEHs), powered by renewable sources, have been proposed as a potential solution for renewable build-out and cross-sectoral integration. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review examining the technical concept and assessment mechanisms of OEHs from multiple perspectives, including chronological, design, and assessment principles. The review reveals a shift in the technical concept and evaluation assessments, evolving from cost-driven to economically driven, with a trend towards harmonized assessments that incorporate both economic and societal values, such as environmental impact. The importance of societal assessments is emphasized, addressing a research gap, where further investigation is needed for a successful implementation of future large-scale OEH projects. The paper highlights the need to develop comprehensive and inclusive evaluation frameworks to ensure the sustainable implementation of OEHs for the ongoing energy transition.

Vision of Offshore Energy Hub at Faroe Islands: The Market Equilibrium Impact

“…Furthermore, the aim is to investigate if this study case can be a representative microcosm for large-scale Offshore Energy Hubs, drawing insights into the dynamics of energy policies, market economic simulations, and sustainable integration strategies. Previous studies have explored the advantages of integrating green H 2 into Offshore Energy Hubs [18][19][20][21] and others have investigated the impact of reaching 100% land-used renewable power system by 2030 at the Faroe Islands [17,22,23]. Furthermore, studies have investigated the impact of modeling renewable energy on islands during the transition towards sustainable and renewable energy infrastructures [9,12,[24][25][26][27].…”