UK energy regulator, Ofgem has approved five new undersea energy links to power millions of homes, with a vision that Britain becomes a net energy exporter with growing amounts of renewable generation.
Nov 15, 2024
UK energy regulator, Ofgem has approved five new undersea energy links which it said would further harness the vast potential of North Sea wind and help to power millions of homes.
The greenlit new projects includes: Tarchon Energy Interconnector, a 610km subsea cable between East Anglia and Niederlangen, Germany would deliver upto 1.4GW of electricity capacity; Mares Connect, a 190km subsea cable between Bodelwyddan, North Wales, to the Republic of Ireland, which will deliver 0.75GW of additional electricity capacity; LirIC, an approximately 142km subsea electricity interconnector between Kilroot in Northern Ireland to Hunterston in Ayrshire, Scotland will deliver 0.7GW of additional electricity capacity.
Watch: Systematic Group
The project also includes Offshore Hybrid Assets (OHA) such as LionLink, an OHA that will connect Dutch offshore windfarms to the GB grid with an onshore landing point in Suffolk and providing up to 1.8GW of clean electricity to each country, and Nautilus, an OHA that will connect Belgium offshore windfarms to the GB grid, coming ashore at the Isle of Grain in Kent, and providing up to 1.4GW of offshore wind to each country through subsea electricity cables.
Based on analysis by both Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator (NESO), Britain is expected to become a net energy exporter by 2030 due to the growing amount of renewable generation, the regulator said.
Akshay Kaul, Director General for Infrastructure at Ofgem, said, “We’ve carefully assessed all the proposed projects and only approved those which deliver for consumers in terms of value, viability and energy security. 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 and associated price spikes.
Also Read: Prysmian is Installing HVDC cable for SuedOstLink Project in Germany
He added, “With Britain expected to become a net energy exporter in the 2030s, these connections will equip us with world leading technology to export more of our surplus clean power overseas. They will also provide greater access to energy imports, which together with domestic low carbon energy sources such as nuclear and biomass, will provide vital back-up energy sources when renewable generation is more limited here.”
The new projects are all expected to be complete and operational by the end of 2032.
