THE DOSTA PROJECT
The ambition of the Dutch government to greatly increase its offshore wind capacity by 2050 in pursuit of energy transition poses key challenges for energy transport and for coping with intermittency of electricity generation.
In targeting these challenges, the DOSTA project (full title: Developing Offshore Storage and Transport Alternatives) examines offshore energy storage options (electricity pumped storage and conversion to hydrogen) and alternative methods to transport electricity and/or hydrogen to shore and their feasibility for implementation in the Dutch North Sea.
To this end the project focuses on four research topics:
Research on multiscale
physics-based models of
novel pumped-hydro
offshore storagetechnology
Robbert Nienhuis conducts his research on developing enhanced predictive models of the novel offshore pumped hydro storage technology within the DOSTA project. The main bulk of the research will focus on developing descriptive models of system behaviour to determine the round-trip efficiency of energy storage systems.
This includes modelling isolation and degradation mechanics from the marine-structure interface to predict the stability and survivability of underwater structures under dynamic loading. Also the impact of alternative energy carriers, such as Hydrogen, is explored in integrated offshore wind farm systems.
Within the project a hybrid work-research approach is undertaken where Robbert also works for the Ocean Grazer Company where he further focusses on the development of the Ocean Battery.
Research on optimal sizing and operation of offshore infrastructure for wind farms coupled to hydrogen
production, storage and transport
Jan Wiegner conducts his research from an energy systems perspective. He looks at different energy conversion technologies (i.a. wind turbines, electrolyzers, fuel cells), transport options (pipelines, cables), and storage technologies (batteries, pumped hydro, hydrogen storage in caverns) and their integration in a robust energy system.
Research on legal design for new offshore storage and transport infrastructure
Liv Malin Andreasson conducts the legal research in the DOSTA project, focusing on the legal aspects of large-scale offshore wind energy development and new energy storage and transport alternatives in the Dutch North Sea.
The aim of the research is to identify potential legal obstacles and propose legal solutions to facilitate offshore development and integration of new storage and transport infrastructure.
Research on marine spatial planning, environmental impact and locational choice
Juul Kusters conducts the research on spatial planning and governance of the North Sea, to identify the challenges of offshore allocation of electricity and hydrogen storage and alternative transport infrastructure.
Thereby, policy recommendations will be developed on how to cope with these challenges, specifically targeting spatial and environmental impacts of offshore storage and transport, related options for spatial allocation of offshore energy storage, and associated institutional innovations for marine spatial planning and related (environmental) procedures.