January 2024, ENTSO-E, the organization of electricity transmission operators in Europe, launched a report on offshore transmission infrastructure needs in Europe. This report includes detailed plans for the development of offshore networks in every European maritime region, including the North Sea.
NedZero chairman Jan Vos shares his view:
“With the expected growth of offshore wind farms, Europe must connect no less than 496 gigawatts of offshore renewable energy to the onshore grid by 2050. This requires the construction of at least 54,000 kilometers of transmission routes. Approximately 22 GW of offshore wind energy capacity will be added annually until 2040, and still 11 GW per year between 2040 and 2050.
For comparison: over the past ten years this has averaged only 2.5 GW per year. However, a worrying trend is the lagging behind in the rollout of networks compared to the rapid production of sustainable electricity. Despite the significant increase in generation capacity, there are significant delays and challenges in upgrading and expanding the necessary transmission infrastructure. This bottleneck poses a risk to the reliability and stability of the energy supply and could hinder the further growth of renewable energy sources.
European Transmission System Operators (TSOs) face an investment of more than 400 billion euros until 2050 to support this rapid development. The ministerial North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC) statement of 20 November 2023 emphasized the importance of an integrated energy system by 2050, with the Offshore Network Development Plan (ONDP) for the North Sea seen as a crucial step. The attention in the plans is positive for sustainable spatial planning, mitigation measures and the promotion of nature restoration.
NedZero is therefore pleased with the recognition of the importance of an adequate offshore transport network. However, TSOs will still have to face significant challenges, including complex rollout processes, development of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology, and solving bottlenecks in the supply chain and port capacity. In close collaboration, we will continue to build a 100% sustainable electricity system in Europe.”
European Commission measures
To address some of the challenges facing the offshore wind industry, the European Commission has introduced a comprehensive range of measures. These include:
- Faster and simpler licensing measures;
- The electricity market design, which guarantees access to transmission for offshore wind farms connected to hybrid interconnectors;
- The Net-Zero Industry Act , which will help scale up production of clean technologies, including for offshore wind and grids
Read the speech of European Commission Commissioner Simson, at the launch of the first plans for the development of offshore networks by ENTSO-E.
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