The European Union’s program to fund energy interconnections will support nine projects including the Viking link and a compressed air energy storage plant in the UK.
The projects were selected following a call for proposals under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) to support trans-European energy infrastructure, the EU Commission said.
It will provide €210m to five gas projects and €53m to four electricity facilities, mostly to fund research.
Of this, €14.8m will support the electricity link between the UK and Denmark. Another €8.28m will fund an appraisal well, detailed design and commercial structure for a compressed air energy storage project in Larne being developed by Gaelectric.
A second CEF call of proposals that will grant about of €600m is underway and will close on 8 November.
“Well-connected energy infrastructure is essential to the Energy Union,” Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete said. “This EU support will help fill the still-existing gaps in energy infrastructure, putting us on the path to a truly connected European energy market.”
Image: Dong
Grid, storage score EU cash
Connecting Europe Facility to grant €263m in first call and €600m in second
By EBS