Cross-border interconnectors and offshore wind

With electricity moving across borders, interconnectors create a more flexible system that allows different renewable energy technologies to be shared between countries. As the UK's National Grid explains, today, offshore wind and interconnectors operate alongside each other, connecting to the shore individually. In the future, offshore hybrid assets could enable offshore wind and interconnection to work together as a combined asset.

Statnett announced it was exploring options for interconnectors with four European countries. Namely, the Norwegian transmission system operator (TSO) entered into agreements with Belgian TSO Elia, Germany's TenneT and Amprion, Danish Energinet, and the UK's National Grid to investigate the feasibility of hybrid interconnectors.

"Exploring a broad portfolio of possible grid concepts with partner TSO’s will ensure that Statnett is better prepared for its offshore roles, but also provide a better basis for Norwegian authorities to identify the most favorable solutions when offshore grid decisions are made at a later stage," said Håkon Borgen, Executive Vice-President of Statnett.

"The development of such a portfolio of options is a necessary step in order to be able to realize the political goals set for future energy development offshore."

The feasibility study for an interconnector between Belgium and Norway is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, and if built, the project will be operational by 2035.

Norway's electricity connection with Denmark would bring offshore wind from areas near a Danish energy island in the North Sea and from an area in the Norwegian part of the North Sea called Sørvest F.

The agreement between Energinet and Statnett builds on existing cooperation and follows in the wake of a political agreement between Danish and Norwegian energy ministers from June to explore joint opportunities for, among other things, infrastructure solutions in the North Sea for the integration of offshore wind in Denmark’s, Norway’s and other energy systems of northern European countries. 

Furthermore, Statnett signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Amprion and TenneT to investigate the feasibility of hybrid interconnectors between Norway and Germany.

The MoU with TenneT concerns exploring the possibilities of a hybrid interconnector that would not connect offshore wind farms in one country, as is currently the case, but would connect it in parallel to Norway and Germany.

Speaking about other news related to cross-border interconnectors, it is worth mentioning that the first phase of UK construction has been completed for the first-ever energy link between the UK and Germany, keeping the project on track.

NeuConnect, which will allow up to 1.4 GW of electricity to flow in either direction, began major construction in the UK this summer, with Prysmian starting horizontal directional drilling (HDD) works that will allow the subsea cables to be brought on land.

Furthermore, the FAB interconnector that will link Great Britain and France has received updated planning permission for its converter station in the UK.

The updated planning permission was based upon the amended design of the project from a capacity of 1,400 MW to 1,250 MW to reduce the overall impact of the project and to increase its cost efficiency.

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