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Long development timelines increase the cost of energy from offshore wind (OSW) farms, according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. The research estimates that cutting approval timelines by just one year for a 1-gigawatt (GW) OSW farm lowers its energy costs by around €1 per megawatt-hour—roughly €110 million over the plant's 25-year operational lifespan.

Deployment delays add costs that can be passed on to energy consumers. When regulatory obligations extend project timelines, developers face rising costs and financial risks while waiting for permissions or grid connections. Furthermore, extended timelines delay access to lower-cost renewable energy, slowing progress toward climate targets.

The study estimates the impact of longer timelines by looking at the full development timeline and adding the costs of delays to the overall cost of the project. This contrasts with conventional calculations, which treat projects as if they were built overnight—a common simplification used in project cost estimation.

The researchers applied this model to evaluate three energy transmission strategies from OSW facilities: high-voltage direct current subsea cables, offshore hydrogen electrolysis via pipelines and offshore hydrogen delivered by ships. The analysis shows that while subsea cables are generally the most cost-effective option under identical timelines, severe grid connection or other development delays can shift the balance.

In scenarios where power-to-hydrogen infrastructure faces shorter deployment timelines than electrical grid connections, hydrogen pathways can become less costly and potentially more profitable simply by avoiding grid queues and starting energy production earlier.

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