A Risk-Based Multicriteria Decision-Making Framework for Offshore Green Hydrogen Site Selection

Green hydrogen (GH2) is versatile, non-emissive, and one of the most promising energy vectors that have the potential to decarbonize energy systems and promote sustainability. Offshore renewables (ORs) have an enormous potential to facilitate GH2 production on a large scale. However, ORs-based H2 generation poses challenges across its whole value chain, including high costs and safety concerns. To overcome these issues, low-cost and safe production, storage and distribution systems are required along with a promised market. Since offshore GH2 production facilities are in their infancy, where many factors influence their capacity generation and future socio-economic advantages, an appropriate site is critical to optimize the infrastructure benefits. Therefore, this study develops a novel and robust multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) framework to determine the optimal offshore location for producing GH2, along with a series of infrastructure planning measures. A range of factors, including technical, socio-political, economic, environmental and safety, that govern the life cycle of offshore H2 facilities are incorporated into the model based on a comprehensive literature review. A hybrid offshore wind and wave renewable energy system has been considered as a case study to show the application of the decision-making framework along with the synergic benefits to nearby offshore industries, including aquaculture, shipping and oil and gas. To rule out the existing constraints, a GIS spatial analysis tool is utilized in compliance with national and international guidelines. The proposed evaluation framework is validated by empirical analysis of a case study in Australia. Several sensitivity analyses are also carried out to assess the reliability and efficacy of the developed framework. The outcomes of this investigation will assist the researchers and infrastructure developers in establishing and executing effective planning for offshore site selection in the largely uncertain and harsh ocean environment. Overall, the study will facilitate sustainable and safe offshore GH2 facilities