There will be a new electricity connection between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, to which a Dutch offshore wind farm will also be directly linked for the first time. The submarine cable, LionLink, with a length of approximately 250 kilometers, will be able to provide electricity to 2 million households by 2030.
Minister Rob Jetten (Climate and Energy) and his British colleague Grant Shapps will announce this on Monday afternoon at a North Sea summit in Ostend, Belgium.
The new direct current cable is being developed by national grid operator TenneT and the British National Grid. “The North Sea will become the largest supplier of green electricity for the Netherlands and large parts of Europe,” says Minister Jetten. Close cooperation in offshore wind energy and interconnections between North Sea countries are essential in this respect.
According to the minister, LionLink can supply almost 2 gigawatts of electricity to both countries, “enough to power 2 million homes”. The new connection is also intended to reduce CO2 emissions, increase energy independence in Europe and increase security of supply.
“For example, if there is a surplus of wind energy, this can immediately be shared with countries with a power shortage, and vice versa,” says Jetten. Connecting offshore wind farms via the first cross-border direct current cable of this size is a new step towards an integrated network in the North Sea.
By 2030, the Netherlands will have realized approximately 21 gigawatts of offshore wind energy and is investigating whether 50 GW in 2040 and 72 GW in 2050 are feasible, also in view of the physical space and ecological impact.
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