Cerulean Winds Limited has announced a Pound 10 billion plan combining floating wind and hydrogen production to decarbonise oil and gas assets in the UK Continental Shelf. The ambitious venture calls for the deployment of more than 200 of the largest turbines at North Sea sites West of Shetland and in the Central North Sea, totaling 3 GW of capacity. The turbines will supply electricity to the offshore facilities, with roughly 1.5 GW powering onshore green hydrogen plants.
The necessary infrastructure planning for the required level of project readiness and aims to achieve financial close in the first quarter of 2022. Construction would start shortly afterward and energisation could begin in 2024. The project will need no subsidies or contract for difference (CfD) and will provide green power to offshore platforms at a price below current gas turbine generation, according to the announcement.
Cerulean Winds strongly believes that without rapid decarbonisation of UK oil and gas assets, there is a risk of earlier decommissioning and significant job losses. It estimates its proposition could safeguard the current 160,000 oil and gas jobs and create 200,000 jobs in the floating wind and hydrogen sectors within the next five years.
Cerulean is a green infrastructure developer founded by Dan Jackson and Mark Dixon, who have together, over 25 years, led large-scale offshore infrastructure developments. The company aims to generate 3-5 GW within five years through floating wind and integrated hydrogen power stations with strong and steady returns to investors.