A 100% Electric Remote Renewable Energy Hub on the High Seas
What if we could capture wind energy in the heart of the oceans and deliver it to our power grids without using cables or synthetic fuels? That’s the bold idea being proposed by engineers from the University of Liège.
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his new study introduces a new approach that uses battery containers to store electricity produced at sea by floating wind turbines, and then transports this energy back to shore using ships.“The concept is based on a fairly simple idea: to harvest energy where it is most abundant — in this case, wind on the high seas — and bring it back to land via an energy vector,” explains Victor Dachet, PhD student at the Montefiore Institute.
The research team has designed a new type of Remote Renewable Energy Hub (RREH). What’s new? Instead of being located on land, it is situated offshore. In addition, the study carries out a rigorous techno-economic analysis. The model proposes a shuttle system in which electric vessels travel back and forth between offshore wind farms and coastal ports, transporting charged batteries and bringing back discharged ones.
According to the researchers, although this new REHH is still costly today (between $160 and $204/MWh for distances up to 400 km), it could eventually compete with other solutions for non-intermittent renewable energy production, such as e-fuels (hydrogen and its derivatives).
A Vision for the Future
“Beyond the technical feat, the study opens up concrete prospects: we could massively decarbonize the global energy mix by exploiting maritime zones that have so far gone unused, while ensuring energy independence for states,” emphasizes Damien Ernst, Professor in engineering at ULiège. The researchers also point out that this solution avoids the need for submarine cables, which are often expensive and technically complex to install, especially at great depths.
Right from the start of your studies
The study was carried out not only by established researchers but also by third-year bachelor’s and first-year master’s engineering students. This collaboration enabled two young students, who had not yet graduated, to participate directly in the process of writing a scientific article. “This is a great opportunity for the students to learn and to develop the necessary skills for producing scientific research,” said Prof. Ernst.
Scientific Reference
Victor Dachet, Anthony Maio, Pierre Counotte, Raphaël Fonteneau, Damien Ernst, Remote Renewable Energy Hubs in the High Seas Using Batteries as Energy Vector, mai 2025
