A new report by RenewableUK and National Grid says next-generation international subsea cables linking UK offshore wind farms directly to neighbouring countries could cut energy bills for consumers.
The organisations said multi-purpose interconnectors (MPIs) could deliver more than £13 billion in economic benefits to Great Britain and the connected countries.
Their taskforce stated that MPIs would reduce the amount of infrastructure needed to transport electricity, cutting impacts on coastal communities and the environment.
The report, entitled Stronger Together, sets out several blockers and proposed solutions to overcome the challenges of building offshore wind and interconnectors together.
It recommends establishing a pilot scheme to agree how offshore wind farms and MPIs can work best together, creating policies which support investment in this technology, and enabling revenue certainty for developers by establishing an investable regime.
RenewableUK’s deputy chief executive Jane Cooper said: “We’re excited about the potential of multi-purpose interconnectors to transform the way electricity is transported between countries by linking them directly to our world-class offshore wind farms, which will build more flexibility into our energy system and strengthen our energy security even further.”
She added: “The measures set out in this report would enable greater quantities of clean power to flow more efficiently and more easily from where it’s being generated to where it’s needed. This extra flexibility will enable us to make the most of our natural resources, earning money for UK plc and driving energy bills down.”
Cooper stated: “The industry now needs to work with National Grid, the Government, Ofgem, The Crown Estate, and Crown Estate Scotland to establish a clear process which sets out how UK offshore wind developers can link their projects to multi-purpose interconnectors in practice, and the costs they would have to pay, as well as determining the business case for investing in this innovative technology. Setting up a pilot scheme is the next step towards achieving this, which could begin as early as this year”.
National Grid managing director of interconnectors Rebecca Sedler said: “With over 40 years of experience in constructing, developing and operating interconnectors, National Grid is the world leader. Developing coordinated assets builds on this experience and would benefit consumers, reduce costs, and minimise the impact on marine ecosystems and coastal communities. As we look to the future, we’re innovating in several ways, including in developing these new multi-purpose interconnectors. Today’s report makes clear recommendations which will benefit consumers. We want to see action.”