Transmission system operators Energinet of Denmark and Elia of Belgium have signed two co-operation agreements that “move connections from planned Danish energy islands to Belgium and Germany a step closer” said Energinet.
These cross-border connections will bring more offshore wind to the European electricity system.
One of the agreements concerns an interconnector between the Danish energy island in the North Sea and Belgium. The other is with Elia’s German subsidiary 50Hertz and relates to a connection between the Danish energy island Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and Germany.
The agreements were signed on 24 November at the WindEurope Electric City 2021 conference in Copenhagen and are seen as the first steps towards final investment decisions. The TSOs are now partnering on launching feasibility studies and the business cases for national approvals in the three countries.
A formal political memorandum of agreement was also signed between the Danish minister of Climate, Energy and Utilities, Dan Jorgensen, and the Belgian minister of Energy, Tinne van der Straeten.
“Connecting offshore wind projects to more than one country will improve electricity flows across Europe,” commented Wind Europe chief executive Giles Dickson. “By pooling generation and transmission infrastructure these ‘hybrid’ offshore wind farms reduce costs and save space.”
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