Netherlands – During the North Sea Summit Ostend Minister Rob Jetton and his British counterpart Grand Shops announced a new electricity link between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom this afternoon. The uniqueness of this new connection is that the Dutch wind farm will also be directly connected to it.

Called ‘LionLink’, the link will be approximately 250 km long.₂emissions, and increasing connectivity with other countries and security of supply. Connecting offshore wind farms via the first cross-border direct current cable of this scale is a new step towards an integrated offshore network in the North Sea.

Green electricity from the North Sea to the Netherlands

Minister Rob Jetton: “The North Sea will become the largest supplier of green electricity to the Netherlands and large parts of Europe. Closer cooperation in offshore wind energy and links between North Sea countries are essential in this respect. LionLink can supply nearly 2 gigawatts of electricity to both countries, enough to power 2 million homes. This new link ensures greater energy security and energy independence in Europe. For example, surplus wind power can be readily shared with power-scarce countries, and vice versa.

LionLink is a multifunctional link designed to connect 2 GW Dutch offshore wind farms under the sea of ​​the two countries. Through this connectivity, the infrastructure can be used more efficiently. At the same time, the impact of coastal municipalities is reduced as fewer separate connections and more limited infrastructure are required.

Manon van Beek, CEO TenneT: “We firmly believe that offshore hubs built on a meshed DC grid should be the backbone of the powerhouse North Sea. This idea is gaining more and more support and is more than just a vision for the future. Indeed, by kicking off this exciting LionLink project we We are already engaged in it. This is a first step and a great opportunity to gain experience as the maritime network takes shape.

The EU and the UK have a joint target of approximately 120 GW of offshore wind energy in the North Sea by 2030. Offshore wind farms therefore make an important contribution to energy security and climate goals. The Netherlands will have approximately 21 GW of offshore wind capacity in 2030 and the possibility of 50 GW in 2040 and 72 GW in 2050 is being studied, taking into account physical location, ecological impact and demand for electricity. The UK aims to generate up to 50 GW of offshore wind power by 2030.