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Belgian energy minister Tinne Van der Straeten and German energy state secretary Philipp Nimmermann have agreed to investigate the development of a hybrid interconnection between the offshore wind farms of both countries.
Although the two countries don’t share a direct sea border because the Netherlands is situated between them, they have announced plans for future cooperation aimed at developing a meshed offshore grid in the North Sea.
The ministers have instructed the Belgian and German grid operators to investigate the options for this network project, involving, if necessary, other countries and grid operators in the evaluation of the project.
The new interconnector will complement the ALEGrO interconnection, the first direct electrical link between the two countries that has been operational since 2020, with a follow-up project already in progress.
The administrations involved and the Belgian and German grid operators are said to regularly discuss progress in order to submit a final report to the ministers during the next North Sea summit. The report should include information about the costs and benefits, potential schedule, and any obstacles that need to be overcome.
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The two countries have set clear and ambitious targets for offshore wind energy.
Belgium aims for a capacity of 6 GW by 2030 and 8 GW by 2040, while Germany foresees at least 30 GW by 2030 and 70 GW by 2045.
Germany launched two tenders earlier this year. The first tender targeted two regions in the North Sea, offering a total offshore wind capacity of 2.5 GW. Subsequently, in February, the second tender was launched for three pre-examined areas also located in the North Sea, with a combined capacity of 5.5 GW.
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