Identification and assessment of risk factors in offshore wind-integrated hydrogen production system

Abstract

Green hydrogen (H2) has received increasing attention as a potential fuel to decarbonize hard-to-electrify industries and support renewables’ growth. Compared to steam methane reforming (SMR), water electrolysis can produce green hydrogen with substantially less emissions. Efforts are ongoing worldwide to develop offshore wind-integrated green hydrogen production plants, particularly in regions with abundant water resources and favorable wind conditions to offset the external energy requirement during H2 production through water electrolysis. However, in the current literature, limited focus has been given to identifying the associated risk factors to establish such plants. To address this issue, the current work conducts a comprehensive examination of technology, economics, safety, and security-related risk factors. A thorough investigation has been performed to trace the risk factors, unraveling their contextual interrelationships, and where possible, quantitatively analyze their impact. A total of 40 risk factors were identified and modelled using the interpretive structural modelling (ISM) technique to visualize their interrelations. Control-related risk factors are found to be the most pivotal in the context of overall project failure. This research serves as a key reference for decision-makers to establish offshore wind-integrated water electrolysis-based hydrogen production facilities, ensuring due consideration for the interdependent risk factors involved in the process.