After conducting an in-depth analysis of the feasibility of decarbonising O&M vessels using hydrogen as an alternative fuel, we have arrived at several key conclusions. Firstly, our findings suggest that decarbonisation is technically feasible for sites of varying capacities, number of turbines and distance to shore. This is a promising development, as it indicates that hydrogen can be used to power O&M vessels in diverse offshore wind farm settings. 

 

Furthermore, our study has demonstrated that the cost of producing hydrogen varies depending on the size of the wind farm. Specifically, the largest 1.3GW site consumes 2.6MWh of energy but costs £6.38/kg to produce hydrogen, while the smaller 90MW site consumes 223kWh of energy but costs £8.69/kg to produce hydrogen. While these costs may initially seem high, it is important to note that they are projected to decrease significantly as the scale of hydrogen infrastructure grows. 

 

Moreover, our analysis indicates that switching to hydrogen as a fuel source for O&M vessels can have a meaningful impact on reducing carbon emissions. In fact, for a chosen site, the use of hydrogen can displace up to 32 tons of CO2 emissions. This reduction in emissions is a positive outcome, as it demonstrates that hydrogen can be used as an effective tool in the fight against climate change. 

 

Finally, we found that the current cost of hydrogen production is £7.23/kg on average but is projected to decrease by 53% between now and 2050 as the scale of hydrogen infrastructure grows. This reduction in cost is a promising development and highlights the potential of hydrogen as a cost-effective and sustainable alternative fuel source for O&M vessels in the future. Overall, our study suggests that the decarbonisation of O&M vessels using hydrogen is a viable and effective strategy for reducing carbon emissions in the offshore wind industry.