Source Energie is planning a new gigascale floating wind project in the Celtic Sea to be linked to offshore hydrogen production, with the green gas transported to shore via a dedicated pipeline.

The UK developer earlier this year had already made public its intention to advance a first 300MW wind-fueled hydrogen complex with technology by ERM Dolphyn off Wales called Dylan that could be online by 2028, with an expansion expected to follow in the 2030s.

The company now revealed it also is seeking to develop a separate gigawatt-scale wind farm to the south of Dylan, called Myrddin. It would be developed in a similar phased approach – also potentially using Dolphyn technology – with the hydrogen sent to shore via pipeline, where it can be used for power generation, transport, industrial fuel and heating.

UK seabed landlord the Crown Estate in July mapped out five gigascale zones to be tendered off in a mid-2023 auction, with the target to get 4GW of floating wind power online in a first phase.

“Offshore wind is now more important than ever and Source Energie is excited to see the plans in the Celtic Sea become more tangible with The Crown Estate announcing the key target areas for large scale floating wind projects,” Source Energie chief executive Kevin Lynch said.

“The Celtic Sea is a strategic location for power generation with optimal conditions for floating offshore wind projects.”

Source Energie sees its Dylan and Myrddin development areas aligned between the Crown Estate’s search areas 1 and 3, and said the locations offer good energy generating conditions. The developer last year had carried out early site constraints assessments and started bid and mammal aerial survey early this year in the area.

Source Energie and Dolphyn also welcomed the seabed owner’s inclusion of hydrogen production at the core of its Celtic Sea plans, together with power generation.

“The Dylan and Myrddin projects being advanced by Source Energie will enable Dolphyn to take a world leading position in offshore low carbon hydrogen production, helping the UK to achieve its net zero ambitions, whilst also improving its energy security,” ERM Dolphyn director Steve Matthews said.

“We are delighted that low carbon hydrogen is at the centre of The Crown Estate’s proposals for the Celtic Sea.”

Dolphyn’s electrolysis technology is also being used for the 200MW Salamander floating wind-powered hydrogen project being developed off Scotland by Simply Blue Energy and Subsea 7.

Map of Celtic Sea with Crown Estate areas and Source Energie projects Photo: Source Energie / The Crown Estate