Elia has presented its draft plans for what will be the world’s first artificial energy island, the Princess Elisabeth Island situated 45 km off the Belgian coast.
The Princess Elisabeth wind power production zone is located in the Belgian North Sea and Elia has been tasked with extending the transmission grid to allow renewable energy to flow between countries.
The Princess Elisabeth Energy Island will combine both direct current (HVDC) and alternating current (HVAC). The island’s high-voltage infrastructure will bundle the wind farm export cables from the Princess Elisabeth zone together, while also serving as a hub for future interconnectors with the UK (Nautilus) and/or Denmark (TritonLink).
Have you read?
Anglo-German interconnector project reaches financial close
Denmark and Germany agree on landmark energy island project
According to Elia, these will be hybrid interconnectors that will ensure the exchange of electricity between countries and will also be connected to offshore wind farms in the North Sea.
Chris Peeters, CEO Elia Group, said in a statement: “The Princess Elisabeth Island constitutes a big leap forward for the energy transition. In addition to bringing 3.5GW of additional offshore wind energy to shore, the island will also be the first link in a European offshore electricity grid. It will allow us to access the huge offshore wind potential that the North Sea still has to offer us.”
Facts about the Princess Elisabeth
- Located almost 45 kilometres off the coast, occupying an area of approximately five hectares above the waterline
- The artificial island will be constructed from concrete caissons filled with sand
- The island will mainly house transmission infrastructure that will be linked to new wind farms
- A small harbour and helicopter pad are also due to be built for maintenance teams
- 300 km of alternating current cables and 60 km of direct current cables will be needed.
Energy Transitions Podcast: The North Sea – Axis of decarbonisation
Tinne Van der Straeten, Belgian minister for energy, commented on the plans: “Thanks to the very first energy island, new interconnections, three new wind farms in the North Sea and the repowering of the first offshore wind zone, we are transforming the North Sea into one big green power plant.”
Also of interest
North Sea decarbonisation needs a clear vision and an attitude change
North Seas Energy Cooperation commits to 260GW offshore wind by 2050
Currently, the tender process and permitting procedures for the island are being prepared and an environmental impact assessment is underway.
Construction of the island is due to start in 2024 and the island should be completed in mid-2026. After this, the construction of the electrical infrastructure on the energy island will start. The connection of the wind farms to the Elia grid is linked to the commissioning of two onshore grid reinforcement projects: the Ventilus and Boucle du Hainaut. Elia aims to achieve full connection capacity by 2030.
