LionLink: National Grid and TenneT take first step to a North Sea integrated grid
National Grid and TenneT have agreed to invest in energy security by partnering on LionLink, a ‘first-of-its-kind’ transmission link that will connect renewable generation capacity between the Netherlands and the UK. This is seen as the first step towards an integrated grid in the North Sea.
British TSO National Grid and Dutch-German TSO TenneT state that LionLink could connect offshore wind farms to the electricity grids of both countries via a subsea high-voltage electricity cable, called a hybrid or Multi-Purpose Interconnector (MPI).
The development would be the first of its kind for the UK and the Netherlands, and the first step towards an integrated electricity grid in the North Sea.
LionLink development
Under the terms of the development agreement, TenneT and National Grid Ventures – the utility’s commercial unit operating energy businesses in the UK and US – will explore the potential of LionLink to simultaneously connect up to 2GW of offshore wind between the British and Dutch electricity systems.
LionLink will be designed to link offshore wind farms simultaneously to neighbouring markets via sub-sea interconnectors.
MPIs, the two state in a shared release announcing the project, will help to accelerate the delivery of offshore wind, while mitigating the impact on coastal communities with fewer individual connections and reduced infrastructure.
In the next few years, on and offshore studies will commence, including further analysis of existing developments and proposals, as part of an integrated European grid.
In the development phase, more research will also be conducted to develop a sound business case and a wider analysis of the socio-economic costs and benefits. The development phase is expected to result in a final investment decision in the middle of this decade.
Brit-Dutch energy interconnection
The British and Dutch energy markets were first connected in 2011 via the BritNed point-to-point interconnector, which they state has played an important role in supporting energy security this winter.
Manon van Beek, CEO TenneT, said: “It is our conviction that offshore hubs configured in a meshed DC grid must form the backbone of the North Sea powerhouse. This is a view that is increasingly shared, and for us, it is more than a vision of the future. In fact, we are already doing it by kicking off this ground-breaking LionLink project right now. It is a first step and a great opportunity to learn as the offshore grid takes shape.“
President of National Grid Ventures, Ben Wilson, added: “Connecting wind farms to multiple markets simultaneously is a game changer for energy infrastructure and brings us one step closer to realising the enormous green energy potential of the North Sea.
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“Not only can we deploy every spare electron where it is needed most, we can help to reduce the impact of infrastructure on coastal communities. We now need the right political, legal and regulatory framework to make it happen and establish a mutually beneficial North Sea grid to deliver a cleaner, more secure and more affordable energy future for British and European consumers.”
According to National Grid, the UK and EU have a combined target for 110GW of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030, which will make a major contribution to both energy security and climate targets across the region.
Welcoming the announcement at the North Sea Summit in Ostend, Belgium, were UK Secretary of State for energy security and net zero, Grant Shapps, and Dutch energy minister, Rob Jetten.
Stated Jetten: “With the North Sea becoming the largest supplier of green electricity for The Netherlands and large parts of Europe, we are ready to expand the interconnection between the two countries. It is imperative all North Sea countries collaborate closely on offshore wind energy and interconnection so that when there is a surplus of wind-generated electricity, it can be shared instantly to locations with a shortage of power, and vice versa.”
Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Together with the strong ties we have with our northern European neighbours united today at the North Sea Summit, we are bolstering our energy security and sending a strong signal to Putin’s Russia that the days of his dominance over global power markets are well and truly over.”
TenneT’s drive for North Sea capability
The news about LionLink comes in as the latest from TenneT in establishing North Sea generation and transmission capacity.
Earlier this year, the energy giant announced a 2GW programme, consisting of 11 transmission projects, 2GW each, to connect 22GW of offshore capacity in the Netherlands and Germany. This was later supplemented by contract orders of €30 billion ($33 billion) to connect 14 offshore grid connection systems by 2031.
A superhighway map was also announced last week by Tennet, called Target Grid, which aims to create and implement an energy system design, mapping out superhighway-connected energy hubs cross the North Sea, from a North West European perspective, and place the North Sea as the primary energy source for neighbouring countries.
