Germany’s grid regulator Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA) has given its approval to plans to expand grid connections for offshore wind farms in the North Sea and Baltic Sea within a decade.
Four 900MW HVDC links will be built in the North Sea, and a further three 250MW AC links installed in the Baltic Sea in the years to 2025, the regulator said.
In the North Sea, Dolwin6 (Nor-3-3) will be completed in 2023 and Dolwin5 (Nor-1-1) in 2024, while Borwin5 (Nor-7-1) and Sylwin2 (Nor-5-2) are slated for completion in 2025.
In the Baltic Sea, Ost-2-1 and Ost-2-2 will be finished by 2021, while Ost-2-3 is expected to be fully operational in 2022.
BNetzA based its analysis on the assumption that Germany’s offshore wind capacity will reach 10.75GW in 2025, with 8.93GW in the North Sea and 1.82GW in the Baltic Sea.
Two auctions, scheduled for 1 March 2017 and 1 March 2018, will determine the offshore wind projects due for installation in the 2021–2025 period.
Image: EWE
Berlin OKs offshore grid plans
Four 900MW and three 250MW links to be built in North and Baltic Seas
By EBS