North Sea Energy

Goal

The North Sea Energy 5 project (NSE 5) will further develop and improve the design of the three offshore hubs (west, east and north) as defined in NSE 4 from all relevant perspectives: technical, environmental, ecological, social, legal, regulatory and economic.

Facts

Description

The North Sea plays a crucial role in achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and the transition to a safe and sustainable energy system. By bringing together multiple energy functions in an integrated approach, the North Sea Energy (NSE) programme aims to exploit synergies and develop new concepts for offshore system integration in the North Sea. This will contribute to accelerating an affordable European energy transition with optimal value for both society and nature.

Our role

New Energy Coalition has a role as an implementing partner in the project. We are responsible for conducting applied research on business cases and value chain analyses in offshore power-to-gas value chains. We are also responsible for developing international transition paths and infrastructure needs for electricity, hydrogen, CO2 and natural gas. This involves identifying which international collaborations are needed to achieve the objectives.

Partners

Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek (TNO), Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN), Equinor, Port of Amsterdam (PoA), Port of Rotterdam (PoR), SmartPort, Groningen Seaports, HINT, Bureau Veritas, MSG Sustainable Strategies, Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM), Gasunie, Neptune Energy, Northern Offshore Gas Transport (NOGAT), ElementNL, Noordgastransport (NGT), ONE-Dyas, Peterson, Shell, New Energy Coalition (NEC), Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC), DEME, TOTAL, Van Oord, RWE, BP, Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC), Aquaventus, Norce, Arcadis, Deltaris, H2SEA, TAQA, Subsea7, TKI Nieuw Gas.

Summary North Sea Energy

North Sea Energy 4
The NSE 4 project focused on developing offshore energy hubs in the Dutch part of the North Sea to facilitate large-scale system integration. The key goals included integrating offshore wind energy, hydrogen production, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and reusing existing oil and gas infrastructure. It introduced three conceptual energy hubs—Hub West, Hub East, and Hub North—with designs to support offshore energy systems interconnected nationally and internationally. These hubs aim to optimize resource use, reduce CO2 emissions, and support the energy transition by balancing techno-economic, ecological, and regulatory challenges.

North Sea Energy 3
The NSE 3 project focused on assessing the strategic potential of the North Sea for hydrogen production and transport as part of the energy transition. It explored the integration of offshore wind energy and hydrogen production, examining hybrid and dedicated systems to balance the energy grid while reducing costs and emissions. The project highlighted the economic and technical challenges of offshore hydrogen production, identifying policy interventions and infrastructure requirements needed to overcome market barriers and achieve optimal energy system integration by 2050.

North Sea Energy 2
The NSE 2 project aimed to explore synergies between offshore wind energy and existing oil and gas infrastructures in the North Sea to accelerate the energy transition and reduce costs. It focused on integrating systems like platform electrification, offshore hydrogen production, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) to address challenges like grid congestion and decommissioning of oil and gas assets. The project assessed technical, environmental, economic, and regulatory feasibility, offering insights into the value of reusing offshore assets for sustainable energy goals.

North Sea Energy 1
The NSE 1 project aimed to accelerate the Dutch energy transition in the North Sea region by integrating offshore wind energy with existing oil and gas infrastructure. Key initiatives included electrifying oil and gas platforms, repurposing gas infrastructure for hydrogen transport, and utilizing depleted gas fields for CO2 storage. The project emphasized system integration as a cost-effective and environmentally beneficial approach to achieving climate goals while exploring technical and economic feasibility. It highlighted synergies between sectors, offering recommendations for policy, regulation, and collaborative strategies to maximize societal, environmental, and economic benefits.

Disclaimer

This project has received funding from TKI Nieuw Gas under subsidy scheme strengths in innovation, chapter 1A Top Consortia for Knowledge and Innovation Surcharge (TKl-surcharge). This page and the information it contains reflects the views only of the author.