TenneT and National Grid have started working together on a unique electrical route between the Netherlands and England.
Dutch and British ministers applauded proposals for a new electrical link to connect offshore wind between the UK and the Netherlands during a speech at the North Sea Summit in Ostend, Belgium.
LionLink was identified as an important project in today’s North Sea Energy Declaration. It is an undersea high voltage power cable known as a multi-purpose or hybrid interconnector, which could connect Dutch wind farms to the electricity grids of both nations.
The project would mark the start of an integrated electrical grid in the North Sea and be the first of its type for the UK and the Netherlands.
Rob Jetten, the Dutch energy minister, and Grant Shapps, the UK secretary of state for energy security and net zero, both stated their support for the LionLink project, citing it as a crucial step towards maximising the North Sea’s potential as Europe’s green energy hub.
By 2030, the UK and EU want to develop 110GW of offshore wind capacity, which will significantly contribute to the region’s energy security and climate change goals.
LionLink will profit from the solid and established long-term collaboration between the Netherlands and the UK and helps the larger goal of North Sea countries to ensure long-term energy security for Europe and the UK by interconnecting renewables.
The BritNed point-to-point interconnector, which was initially used to connect the Dutch and British energy markets in 2011, has been crucial in promoting energy security this winter.
CEO of TenneT, Manon van Beek, said “It is our conviction that offshore hubs configured in a meshed DC grid must form the backbone of the North Sea powerhouse.”
This is a view that is increasingly shared, and for us, it is more than a vision of the future.
“In fact, we are already doing it by kicking off this ground-breaking LionLink project right now. It is a first step and a great opportunity to learn as the offshore grid takes shape.”
President National Grid Ventures, Ben Wilson, said “We now need the right political, legal and regulatory framework to make it happen and establish a mutually beneficial North Sea grid to deliver a cleaner, fairer, more secure and more affordable energy future for British and European consumers.”
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