The future of marine multi-use: M4 (marine, multifunctional, mobile, and modular)

The document examines the M4 framework for marine multi-use projects, identifying a global trend toward combining offshore wind with other technologies, most notably hydrogen production. A technoeconomic analysis of a potential floating wind farm off Scotland indicates that centralized offshore hydrogen production is the most cost-effective strategy. The report highlights that while technical barriers are low, commercialization is hindered by regulatory gaps and a lack of multi-use integration in Marine Spatial Plans.

• A review of 30 global M4 projects shows a growth trend since 2019, with 75% located in Europe. Most projects are in the concept or pilot testing phase, and the most common technology combination is offshore wind energy and hydrogen production, appearing in 11 projects.
• Technoeconomic analysis of a floating offshore wind farm off the coast of Scotland indicates that centralized offshore hydrogen production with pipeline transmission to shore is the most beneficial strategy. For a 2 GW wind farm, the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) is estimated at 5.8 EUR/kg.
• The LCOH for offshore hydrogen production is most sensitive to the assumed levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), as electricity is the primary cost driver over a 30-year project lifetime.
• Industry stakeholders report that technical and economic barriers are not the primary obstacles; instead, the lack of an enabling regulatory environment and gaps in Marine Spatial Plans (MSPs) are major barriers to commercialization.
• To accelerate the adoption of M4 projects, the report recommends simplifying permitting procedures, providing economic incentives, and including marine multi-use as a non-price criterion when ranking bids for offshore wind projects.

APA

Mazza, G., & Xylia, M. (2023). The future of marine multi-use: M4 (marine, multifunctional, mobile, and modular). Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/sei2023.066-marine-multi-use-wind-hydrogen.pdf

Chicago

Mazza, Guido, and Maria Xylia. The future of marine multi-use: M4 (marine, multifunctional, mobile, and modular). Stockholm Environment Institute, 2023. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/sei2023.066-marine-multi-use-wind-hydrogen.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mazza |first1=Guido |last2=Xylia |first2=Maria |title=The future of marine multi-use: M4 (marine, multifunctional, mobile, and modular) |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=December 2023 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/sei2023.066-marine-multi-use-wind-hydrogen.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mazza2023future, author = {Mazza, Guido and Xylia, Maria}, title = {{The future of marine multi-use: M4 (marine, multifunctional, mobile, and modular)}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2023}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/sei2023.066-marine-multi-use-wind-hydrogen.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }