UK and Belgium plan offshore wind energy island

The UK and Belgium plan to build a second interconnector that would connect to an energy island, enabling offshore wind power to be transmitted to both countries.

Energy ministers Greg Hands, for the UK Government, and Tinne Van der Straeten signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work together on multi-purpose electricity interconnection, offshore wind, low-carbon hydrogen and carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS).

Belgian minister Van der Straeten said the countries now aim to work together on an interconnector that would be connected to a North Sea energy island – whereby an artificial island enables interconnection of offshore wind farms to multiple countries. The interconnector would be the second between the two countries, adding to the existing 1GW Nemo Link, which has been operating since 2019.

She added that building the energy island and interconnector would mean “power can be exchanged between the two countries and new wind farms can also be connected to it”.

Neither country has indicated what capacity the new interconnector might have, when it could be built, or who would build it.

The UK aims to install 40GW of offshore wind capacity by 2040, while Belgium could have 4.4GW of offshore wind by 2030.

The agreement marks the latest in a series of planned offshore wind energy islands in the EU, following Belgium, Denmark and Germany signing a similar deal last year.

Earlier this month, MEP Morten Petersen told Windpower Monthly that the EU understood the need for energy islands to enable greater offshore wind expansion and cross-border exchange of energy.