German, Danish power grid firms launch Baltic Sea wind link

[BERLIN] German power grid firm 50Hertz and its Danish counterpart Energinet on Tuesday launched sea links to connect offshore wind turbines with both countries' power markets, creating a blueprint for how to integrate Baltic wind capacity.

The interconnector joins the offshore wind parks Baltic 1, Baltic 2 and, from 2021 with Kriegers Flak, allowing electricity production from those plants to flow to both markets, the two companies said in a joint statement.

Termed Combined Grid Solution (CGS) and having cost 300 million euros (S$474.87 million), the infrastructure combines two offshore converter stations with each other and with existing onshore connections for the wind parks.

The CGS will boost supply security through the improved allocation of transmission capacities in the region.

It will also enable more wholesale trading between the Nordic, Baltic and continental European regions, offering arbitrage possibilities.

"If there is no wind blowing, the cable is a simple connection line," said Chris Peeters, chief executive of Elia Group.

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"This way, the CGS is available to two energy markets and allows access to renewable energies at lowest cost," he added.

The European Commission wants to boost interconnections as a way to make volatile renewables a more reliable source of energy as member states seek ways to shift toward a low-carbon economy.

North-eastern German 50Hertz, which operates in a thinly populated area with plenty of wind power, aims to be able to carry 100 per cent of power from renewable sources by 2032.

It already reached a world record rate of 65 per cent green power on its grids in first half 2020.

Scandinavia has vast hydropower production and storage facilities.

Kriegers Flak, at 600 megawatts, will be Denmark's biggest offshore wind park, supplying 600,000 households.

REUTERS