The world’s largest offshore wind farm entering operation – Dogger Bank off the northeast coast of England – could add more than a gigawatt of extra power devoted to powering the UK’s largest green hydrogen plant, said its co-developers.

Norwegian energy group Equinor and UK utility SSE, which are jointly leading development of the giant North Sea project, have started early scoping work for a possible Dogger Bank D that would add 1.3GW of fixed-bottom turbines to the 3.6GW currently underway across the wind farm's first three phases.

The partners are considering two possible options for the electricity produced by a fourth phase – a connection to the onshore grid in eastern England or as a power source for green H2 production in Humberside.

The two developers reckon the latter option would “become the UK’s largest green hydrogen project”, without giving further details, adding to existing hydrogen-related production and infrastructure initiatives in the Humber region in which Equinor and SSE are involved.

Equinor’s VP for Dogger Bank Halfdan Brustad said: Both the grid offtake and green hydrogen production options from Dogger Bank D would contribute to the UK’s net zero ambitions and emphasise Equinor’s ability to deliver a broad energy offering to the UK.”

Together with Vargronn, their Norwegian co-investor, Equinor and SSE are already advancing the 3.6GW Dogger Bank’s £11bn ($13.2bn) first three phases that are by 2026 set to make up the world’s largest operating offshore wind project.

The first wave of Dogger Bank won a contract-for-difference power deal in the UK’s 2019 round of renewable energy auctions, but since then green hydrogen production has raced up the agenda as a potential offtake option for electricity from offshore wind.

The developers added the caveat, however, that the H2 investment would be “subject to supportive government policy and supply chain alignment”.

Whatever the destination of its power, another 1.3GW at the Equinor and SSE-led project would confirm the shallow waters of the Dogger Bank as a world offshore wind hotbed. RWE earlier this year sealed leases for its own Dogger Bank South (East and West) projects of 3GW between them, adding to the German utility’s 1.4GW Sofia.

Development of Dogger Bank D, which would be sited in the eastern part of the Dogger Bank C area, is also subject to agreement from UK seabed landlord The Crown Estate. The partners expect to deliver a first report on the plans in March.