A risk-based multi-criteria decision-making framework for offshore green hydrogen system developments: pathways for utilizing existing and new infrastructure

Unlocking the potential of offshore renewables for green hydrogen (GH2) production can be a game-changer, empowering economies with their visionary clean energy policies, amplifying energy security, and promoting economic growth. However, their novelty entails uncertainty and risk, necessitating a robust framework for facility deployment and infrastructure planning. To optimize offshore GH2 infrastructure placement, this work proposes a novel and robust GIS-based multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework. Encompassing thirty-two techno-socio-economic-safety factors and ocean environmental impact analysis this methodology facilitates informed decision-making for sustainable and safe GH2 development. Utilizing the synergies between offshore wind and solar resources, this study investigates the potential of hybrid ocean technologies to enhance space utilization and optimize efficiency. To illustrate the practical application of the proposed framework, a case study examining a GH2 system in Australia's marine region and its potential nexus with nearby offshore industries has been conducted. The performed life cycle assessment (LCA) explored various configurations of GH2 production, storage, and transportation technologies. A Bayesian objective weight integrating technique has been introduced and contrasted statistically with the hybrid CRITIC, Entropy, MEREC and MARCOS-based MCDM approaches. Various locations are ranked based on the net present value of life cycle cost, GH2 production capacity, risk, availability, and environment sustainability factors, illustrating their compatibility. A sensitivity analysis is conducted to confirm that a Bayesian approach improves the decision-making outcomes through identifying optimal criteria weights and alternative ranks more effectively. Empowering strategic GH2 decisions globally, the proposed approach optimizes system performances, cost, sustainability, and safety, excelling in harsh environments.