Modelling and analysis of offshore energy hubs

TL;DR

This paper models offshore energy hubs (OEHs) to optimize decarbonisation of offshore energy systems, demonstrating that OEHs with storage are crucial for achieving zero-emission targets at minimal costs.

Contribution

It introduces a mixed-integer linear programming model for planning and optimizing offshore energy hubs, incorporating storage and renewable technologies for decarbonisation.

Findings

OEHs with storage are essential for zero-emission offshore energy.

A carbon cap significantly stimulates decarbonisation efforts.

OEHs can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 50% at certain tax levels.

Abstract

Clean, multi-carrier Offshore Energy Hubs (OEHs) may become pivotal for efficient offshore wind power generation and distribution. In addition, OEHs may provide decarbonised energy supply for maritime transport, oil and gas recovery, and offshore farming while also enabling conversion and temporary storage of liquefied decarbonised energy carriers for export. Here, we investigate the role of OEHs in the transition of the Norwegian continental shelf energy system towards zero-emission energy supply. We develop a mixed-integer linear programming model for investment planning and operational optimisation to achieve decarbonisation at minimum costs. We consider clean technologies, including offshore wind, offshore solar, OEHs and subsea cables. We conduct sensitivity analysis on CO$_2$ tax, CO$_2$ budget and the capacity of power from shore. The results show that (a) a hard carbon cap is necessary for stimulating a zero-emission offshore energy system; (b) offshore wind integration and power from shore can more than halve current emissions, but OEHs with storage are necessary for zero-emission production and (c) at certain CO$_2$ tax levels, the system with OEHs can potentially reduce CO$_2$ emissions by 50% and energy losses by 10%, compared to a system with only offshore renewables, gas turbines and power from shore.