The 8 MW turbine from MHI Vestas, at the Burbo Bank Extension wind farm off the UK.
(Bloomberg) —
Energy regulator Ofgem approved five new subsea power links from Great Britain to the continent and Ireland as the country seeks to profit from a boom in wind capacity and become a net electricity exporter by the end of the decade.
The plans include as much as 4.6 gigawatts of new connections to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany under the North Sea and about 1.5 gigawatts of connections to Ireland and Northern Ireland, the watchdog said in a statement. The nation is currently importing power from France on most days to help meet demand.
Along with a significant increase in offshore wind capacity, interconnectors are a key piece of Britain’s plans to reach a clean power grid by 2030. To meet that goal, UK’s grid operator has forecast that capacity on such cables would need to increase by 50% by the end of the decade.
“As we shift to a clean power system more reliant on intermittent wind and solar energy, these new connections will help harness the vast potential of the North Sea and play a key role in making our energy supply cheaper and less reliant on volatile foreign gas markets,” said Akshay Kaul, director general for infrastructure at Ofgem.
Among the five projects are two that are known as offshore hybrid assets, which link a wind farm at sea directly into an interconnector. That would allow the park to send power to the market with the highest price, rather than first sending it to the country’s grid only to be exported later.
The two hybrid projects are being developed by National Grid Plc together with operators in Belgium and the Netherlands, where the projects will link.
“Consumer demand for electricity is set to double in the next 25 years, and if built these interconnectors would provide the invaluable flexibility we need in the system for both now and in 2050,” said Ben Wilson, president of National Grid Ventures.
| Approved interconnectors | Capacity (GW) | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Tarchon Energy Interconnector | 1.4 | East Anglia to Niederlangen, Germany |
| Mares Connect | 0.75 | Bodelwyddan, North Wales, to the Republic of Ireland |
| LirIC | 0.7 | Kilroot in Northern Ireland to Hunterston in Ayrshire, Scotland |
| LionLink | 1.8 | Dutch offshore wind farms to Great Britain |
| Nautilus | 1.4 | Belgium offshore wind farms to Great Britain |
© 2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 110,264 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
Hurricane Rafael may have fizzled out, but its lingering impact on Gulf oil and gas production continues. After Hurricane Rafael roared through the Gulf of Mexico last week, more than...
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced the completion of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed SouthCoast Wind Project, marking a crucial step towards the...
HOUSTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) – More than a quarter of crude oil production and nearly 17% of natural gas output in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico was offline in the aftermath of...
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 110,264 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
